Giving Tuesday

You're likely very familiar with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. (Perhaps you even decided to opt out of them.) But are you familiar with Giving Tuesday?

#GivingTuesday is a global day dedicated to giving back. On Tuesday, December 2nd, people around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give. This initiative was founded in 2012 by New York’s 92nd Street Y in partnership with the United Nations Foundation and has already engaged more than 10,000 organizations worldwide.

In a recent InStyle magazine, Usher (Yup, that Usher) was quoted as saying: "Charity is the rent we pay to occupy this space on the planet."

Pretty powerful. And if, like me, you found it resonated with you, you might want to consider participating in Giving Tuesday.

If you already have charitable organizations that you like to volunteer with or support financially, by all means, donate to them! If not, please consider making a donation to the Junior League of Ann Arbor (JLAA). 

The Junior League is a non-profit organization, and it's one of the oldest, largest, and most effective women’s volunteer organizations in the world, encompassing more than 150,000 women in 292 Leagues in four countries. 

On Dec. 2, there will be a “Give” button on the JLAA homepage (www.jlaa.org) that will walk you through making a tax-deductible contribution to the Junior League of Ann Arbor. Any amount you can give is appreciated and will help the Junior League of Ann Arbor fulfill its mission of developing the potential of women, improving our community, and promoting volunteerism.

The JLAA's current initiative is Healthy Living -- which has the goal of decreasing hunger and increasing the quality of life and the lifespan of the most vulnerable women and children in in our community.

These are few of the programs that the JLAA is currently focusing its attention and resources on:

• Produce Distribution partnership with Food Gatherers, helping to provide the neediest families in the Ypsilanti and Lincoln school districts with free, healthy foods as well as nutrition education. We also volunteer as box packers at the Food Gatherers warehouse and serve meals at the Delonis Center Community Kitchen in Ann Arbor.
• Kids in the Kitchen programming, teaching children across Washtenaw and western Wayne counties about the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity in a fun and relaxed setting.
• Ronald McDonald House of Ann Arbor, providing and serving meals at least four times a year. The Junior League of Ann Arbor’s funding helped open RMH of Ann Arbor in 1985.
• Warm the Children, helping needy families from southeastern Michigan shop for clothes and winter outerwear for their children.

Thank you for giving back.