Giving Tuesday comes the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and it’s a time of year when your generosity can find a home — because, as the name implies, it’s the perfect time to give charitable donations to your favorite cause.

What Is Giving Tuesday?

Over the past decade or two, the sight of Black Friday crowds trampling each other to save 30% on a flat-screen television has perhaps grown a bit less charming. It’s not that businesses don’t deserve a day of well-earned attention; it’s just that such feral consumerism tends to contradict the spirit of the holidays.

Cyber Monday comes after Black Friday. It is a quieter affair but is more of the same: a day in which we agree to spend our money and expect singular deals in return.

With all of this emphasis on consumerism and going to great lengths to secure a good deal, many felt the need for a dedicated day for simply giving. That’s how Giving Tuesday was born. In New York City, the 92nd Street YMCA formed a partnership with the United Nations Foundation to create the holiday and spread the message.

The Beginning Of Giving Tuesday

It first occurred on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, 2012. It began as a social media campaign that took on a life of its own. Since then, the message has spread across the country and currently includes over 33 million participants and 240 communities.

The idea is to democratize philanthropy — repairing broken systems isn’t just a job for governments, grant writers, and benevolent billionaires. By calling on ordinary citizens to allocate a bit of their money towards good causes, society can create its own positive change without waiting around for others to save the day. Some call it radical generosity; others simply call it doing our duty as fellow citizens.

Today, many brands, retailers, nonprofits, individuals, and organizations donate to their favorite causes on Giving Tuesday. Many launch campaigns to help raise money or encourage volunteers to participate. The point is to get people to give however much they can.

How to Pick the Right Cause

There is no single correct cause to donate to. It could be anything that is important to you, whether that’s saving the rainforest, cleaning up the oceans, ensuring that people around the world have access to clean water, or helping in the fight against cancer.

Some organizations do a better job than others, and, of course, there are some that are outright fraudulent, so it’s important to do your due diligence before donating. Research the organization online to ensure they are reputable and effective.

A good rule of thumb is to take the name of the organization and search for it plus the word “scam.” If anyone claims to have had a bad experience with the organization, this will help you locate their review. Use an investigative eye. If there are many reviews of the same organization calling it a scam, that is a red flag; if there is just one and the complaints seem far-fetched, it may just be internet-as-usual.

Some Great Causes to Give To

Here are some wonderful places to give your support on Giving Tuesday:

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)

If you’re looking for an organization that is truly making a difference in the fight against cancer, the LLS is a top option. This society has emerged as a global leader in finding cures for blood cancers like myeloma, leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, and lymphoma, all while helping patients and their families enjoy a more comfortable life.

A donation towards the LLS will support lifesaving global research on blood cancer cures. The LLS will also use your donation to provide free support services and information, as well as to give a voice to all patients who are looking for affordable, high-quality care.

Water for People

Water for People has a strong mission: to provide safe drinking water for everyone in the world, forever. Around the globe, millions of people have to spend hours each day walking to fetch water for their families. This duty falls disproportionately on women and girls, putting tremendous physical and emotional strain on their bodies and preventing them from pursuing other ambitions in life.

By donating to Water for People, you will help further crucial partnerships with local businesses, governments, and people. This ensures that when systems like clean water and sanitation are put in place in communities, they will stay in place for the foreseeable future. Local governments must provide the structure for such improvements, local shops must provide the building materials, local entrepreneurs provide the labor and maintenance, and local families enjoy clean water for a lifetime.

Climate Change and Rainforest Preservation

Oceans, biodiversity, agriculture — there are practically no parts of the living world the climate crisis doesn’t affect. One of these is tropical rainforest, which is disappearing at a truly staggering rate. As a storehouse for much of the world’s carbon and a safe haven for uncountable species and human societies, we must protect and preserve the rainforest to ensure a fighting chance against a warming planet.

Organizations like the Rainforest Trust and Rainforest Partnership do vital work preserving the rainforest for all of its inhabitants.

Learn more about great Giving Tuesday options at SpreadLove.org.