Just as Black Friday and Cyber Monday are for shopping, Giving Tuesday is a day dedicated to giving back.
Cami Mattson is the senior director of philanthropic strategy with the San Diego Foundation. She said the day is about sharing gifts of any amount with under-resourced communities.
"If you can give the amount of a cup of coffee or just sacrifice slightly to lift the lives of others, it's critical," Mattson continued, "We really want to be a community that supports resilience and equity and opportunity. We want to be able to give a lift up to those in need. And so any amount is important."
By the numbers
San Diego County is home to more than 10,000 nonprofit organizations, and the foundation connects donors with many of those nonprofits.
Mattson said the foundation's newest fundraising campaign celebrates their 50 years of impact.
"In our Fifty & Forward Campaign, we are specializing in education because we know that's of critical importance, children and families," she said. "Which could be around mental health, basic needs and the environment, being able to preserve the integrity and resources of our community."
Their goal for this campaign is to grant $500 million to nonprofits in San Diego who make an impact in these three areas.
In the past year, 82% of the foundation's grant funds, totaling $94 million, went to San Diego County nonprofits.
Looking ahead
This Giving Tuesday, the foundation is doing a dollar for dollar match in donations to Feeding San Diego and the Lucky Duck Foundation to address food and housing insecurity.
But Giving Tuesday is about more than donations, it's about kindness. For alternative ways to give click here.
