How To Help Others In Need On Giving Tuesday
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is known as Giving Tuesday.
Launched back in 2012, hundreds of millions of people are encouraged to dig deep into their hearts and wallets to do something good for somebody else.
In 2020, this day of giving holds even more significance for non-profit organizations experiencing their own financial woes because of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to a recent study by the Pittsburgh Foundation, the pandemic has resulted in revenue losses to the tune of $612 million. Some charities have been forced to change their traditional ways of in-person fundraising.
Heather Arnet, the CEO of the Women and Girls Foundation, told KDKA that despite challenging fundraising efforts, her organization has found creative ways to help women and girls obtain the resources they need for survival.
"We still have to do our work. We have to figure out how to get meals to moms. We still have to figure out how to talk to legislators about how to get things moms and families need. We've been delivering 800 meals to single moms and their families every Saturday night," said Arnet.
According to the study, nonprofits in the Commonwealth have also racked up more than $90 million dollars in new operating costs to serve their communities through these challenging times.
"We've given $2.5 million in immediate emergency research grants to fight the disease. Forty to 50 percent of individuals with COVID-19 do have some cardiovascular or stroke type indications," said Ryan Jerico, the development director for the American Heart Association.
Doug Smith, the development director for Light of Life Rescue Mission, said, "On average, we house between 125 to 150 people per night throughout all of our programs and that includes men, women and children."
And with more offering opportunities online, beware of scams. The Better Business Bureau reports 65 percent of Americans do not research before donating.
"Mistaken identity is key in a lot of the scams we hear about. It's not uncommon for a scammer to hope people will think they're donated to a well-known, trusted charity when that's not the case," said Caitlin Driscoll with the Better Business Bureau.
Something as simple as a name similarity could place your money into the wrong hands.
If you want to donate to any of the organizations mentioned above, their official websites are listed below.