First, it was Black Friday. Then came Cyber Monday. Then Small Business Saturday became a thing. Holiday shopping events are a marketing team's holy grail, an opportunity to change consumer behavior writ large that doesn't come around very often.

Enter Giving Tuesday, the most recent of the holiday shopping holidays ー though this one is all about altruism. Started in 2012 by the New York nonprofit 92nd Street Y, in partnership with the UN Foundation, the movement has grown to become a de facto response to the consumerism that surrounds the holiday season, in which companies and non-profits urge people to donate money or time to charity ー at least for a day.

According to predictions from the data firm Whole Whale, #GivingTuesday, as it's known online, is expected to top $500 million for the first time, a 25 percent increase from the estimated $400 million that was donated online last year. Still, that haul represents less than 14 percent of the amount of money that will be spent online on Tuesday, according to Adobe Analytics data.

Save the Children, the 100-year-old charity that works to help disadvantaged kids in 120 countries, is among the nonprofits that looks to Giving Tuesday for a portion of its annual fundraising. CEO Carolyn Miles told Cheddar in an interview that millennials still have limited awareness of the day. Save the Children is trying to leverage its relationships with brands and celebrities to spread the word on its social media accounts (and to broadcast that it is matching all donations, 1:1, on Tuesday).

The charity has partnered with red-hot designers like Gabriela Hearst, who is donating 100 percent of the net proceeds from her handbag sales to Save the Children's efforts in Yemen. Those handbags are typically only available by invite, though Hearst is opening the collection to the public this week to spur donations. There are also partnerships with Dave Matthews Band, Jennifer Garner, and the shoe brand Toms.

Many people who give want their donations to help "closer to home," Miles said, noting that Save the Children also works in impoverished communities in the U.S. as well as "all the toughest places to be a child in the world."

The charity counts on the last few weeks of the year for nearly a third of its donations, she said, which is why the awareness around Giving Tuesday is particularly important. Save the Children has an operational budget of $2.2 billion ー equivalent to the entire budget of the newly created U.S. Space Force over the next five years. Last year, it brought in a half-million dollars, the latest in a number that has been "growing every year," though it is still a fraction of the overall budget. The rest comes from corporations, foundations, individual donors and grants from the UN, she said.

Share:
More In Culture
Why Metaverse Real Estate Is Selling For Millions
How much real money would you pay for a virtual plot of land? Developing technology is introducing everyone in the real world to new, virtual worlds, like Decentraland. In this metaverse economy, users are buying virtual real estate at high value – and it’s not just the average Joe that’s looking to invest. Company's like Facebook are betting big.
Eastern State Penitentiary Halloween Prison Tour Aims to Educate on Mass Incarceration
Touring the remains of Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia has long been a Halloween tradition, but this year there is an educational spin to the haunting experience. Sean Kelly, Eastern State Penitentiary historic site SVP, talked to Cheddar about the goal of this year's 'Halloween Nights' and why it is relevant to mass incarceration.
Growth in the Gig Economy Market; Getting Started in Real Estate Investing
On this episode of 'Your Future Home', Ania Smith, TaskRabbit CEO, discusses TaskRabbit's recent revenue growth, how the company is increasing their taskers' earning potential, and its potential for greater global expansion.; Aaron Wagner, a former football player turned self-made real estate investor & Founder and Managing Partner of Wags Capital, breaks down the best first steps the average investor can take into the realm of real estate, and how wholesaling can be a smart investment.; Cheddar breaks down all the tips, tricks, and things to look out for when buying your first home.
Pearson, Producer Simon Fuller Team Up to Launch Academy of Pop for Performing Arts
Pearson CEO Andy Bird joined Cheddar's "Opening Bell" to talk about a new partnership with famed recording artist manager Simon Fuller to launch a new performing arts school, the Academy of Pop, focused on cultivating the next round of rising stars. While the school will focus predominantly on the arts, Fuller said Bird wanted to partner with the learning company Pearson to add structure to the curriculum. "I think in many areas, the performing arts have suffered within education, and so part of our goal is to sort of put the 'A' into STEM and turn it into STEAM," he said. The first studio is slated to open in Hollywood.
Empowering Hispanic Creators; Expanding Genetic Testing for Women
On this epsiode of ChedHER: COO of Exile discusses the company's mission of creating original content for audiences across the U.S. and Latin America; Community Impact Region Lead, Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase breaks down the firm's commitment to racial equity; President of Myriad Genetics explains how to expand access to genetic testing for all women.
Expanding Genetic Testing for Women Everywhere
Nicole Lambert, President at Myriad Genetics joins ChedHER to discuss how to expand access to genetic testing for all women, and how her experience as a 'pre-vivor' motivates her role in the industry.
How JPMorgan Chase is Committing to Racial Equity
Noreen Hernandez, Community Impact Region Lead, Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase, joins ChedHER to discuss the firm's commitment to racial equity and what needs to be done to close the racial wealth gap.
Load More