Gratitude turns into giving

As the crowd storms through the doors at the exact moment the clock strikes midnight after a day of being thankful, it seems the greed and wants of the populace has completely taken over. With the mobs of people crowding the shopping malls and local stores Thursday and Friday nights and the millions who participate in finding deals all day Monday, its easy to forget about the ‘thanks’ in Thanksgiving.

In the midst of all this gratitude and indulgence, where is all the giving?

Many charities, families, students, and clubs across the globe came together on Dec. 2 with one thing in mind: giving back. From dance studios in Buffalo, New York making a difference in girls’ lives to Girl Scout Troops collecting books to build libraries for African schools, this day takes many shapes and forms.

#GivingTuesday is a worldwide day that focusing on organizations and individuals who give back in the community. This event takes place the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and, according to givingtuesday.org, was founded in 2012 by New York’s 92nd Street Y  in a partnership with the United Nations Foundation. With the help of many founding partners, a global movement was launched that has now engaged over 10,000 organizations.

“So many people don’t know about Giving Tuesday, but it’s awesome. More people should participate,” senior Eleanor Cohen said.

On givingtuesday.org, anyone interested can read stories of people worldwide practicing generosity and making a difference. They can also find many events and organizations to donate to if they wish to participate in this day.

So next year, after you spend all your money on Christmas presents and mesmerizing online deals, think about the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Maybe next year, rather than buying, giving will be given an even greater emphasis.

Morgan Taylor is a Copy Editor and Claire Grunewald is a Lifestyles Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com