CALIFORNIA, Md. — On Dec. 3, 2024, St. Mary’s County will participate in Giving Tuesday as part of a worldwide movement to give back to local communities and foster a spirit of generosity. Organizations and individuals across the county have joined together on this day since its inception in New York City in 2012. This year promises to be one of the busiest Giving Tuesdays in recent memory, with hundreds of events planned throughout the county. Fifty of those events are listed in the image below.
This list does not include online fundraisers, such as St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Giving Tuesday online campaign, which has been held annually since 2014.
Giving Tuesday is observed every year on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Since its founding in 2012, the movement has grown to include more than 100 countries, 330 individual initiatives, and support from 10 million volunteers. The central idea of the event is “radical generosity,” which encompasses any act of kindness or generosity performed for the benefit of others. The belief is that through acts of radical generosity, communities become more trusting, understanding, and capable of growth in ways not previously imagined.
Beyond the day itself, GivingTuesday is an organization dedicated to cultivating generosity worldwide by empowering leaders who can nurture it. Its initiatives include #GivingTuesdaySpark, which amplifies the voices of youth who might otherwise go unheard, and the Starling Initiative, a fellowship supporting grassroots and community leaders who demonstrate the ability to positively transform their communities or society at large.
Another prominent feature of the Giving Tuesday movement is the GivingTuesday Data Commons. This research initiative examines what drives generosity, the effects of networks and collective action, giving patterns and behaviors, and ways to inspire more giving. For instance, their research indicates that as of September 2024, 60% to 70% of survey respondents reported performing an act of generosity in the past seven days.
The most recent study by the Data Commons highlights two findings relevant to this year’s Giving Tuesday. First, the survey revealed that regardless of political affiliation—or lack thereof—the majority of respondents in every group had performed an act of generosity in the past week. These acts ranged from donating to nonprofits to volunteering or giving items to those in need. What united all groups was a shared desire to help others in their communities.
However, the study also found that more people than ever feel isolated from their communities. Many respondents reported feeling like outsiders, finding it increasingly difficult to identify with their community.
The mission of Giving Tuesday is to combat this isolation by uniting communities in a shared purpose of generosity. Generosity doesn’t have to involve financial contributions or volunteering. It can be as simple as thanking essential workers at grocery stores and gas stations or calling someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. Radical generosity means doing something for someone else without expecting anything in return.
Even the smallest acts of generosity can create ripple effects, building a society rooted in kindness and community.
Happy Giving Tuesday!
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