‘Tis the season of giving, and today — Tuesday, Nov. 28 — is Giving Tuesday. In the midst of shopping and feasting and making merry, the event offers a chance to be mindful of the reason for the season.
“Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving, which makes it unique. Every continent is involved and philanthropy is measured in multiple ways on this day: Gifting of dollars or monetary contributions; volunteering time and/or talent for some kind of project; and acts of kindness. We want to bring awareness to the importance of philanthropy . . . the whole point of Giving Tuesday is to remind people to give back during the holidays,” said Jennifer Purcell, AZ Impact for Good’s chief impact officer. The group was formally the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits+Arizona Grantmakers Forum.
In honor of the event, AZ Impact for Good offers a platform for donating to more than 1,000 nonprofits statewide through https://www.azgives.org/givingtuesday.
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The site also offers the opportunity to purchase Giving eCards https://www.azgives.org/eCards that can be donated to the nonprofit of your choice as a gift for a friend or loved one.
Purcell said that many people appreciate the fact that the site provides access to nonprofits that are fully-vetted, 501c3 organizations.
Last year, Arizonans donated more than $186,000 to nonprofits through the AZGives.org platform on Giving Tuesday.
The largest singe transaction was $11,750 to nine different organizations; another donor gifted 17 different nonprofits.
Many Arizona residents also take the opportunity leverage donor dollars by applying contributions toward the Arizona Qualifying Charitable Organization (QCO) Tax Credit, which offers a dollar-for-dollar credit of $421 for single or head-of-household or $841 for married taxpayers filing jointly on Arizona State income taxes for 2023.
Some nonprofits may also be Qualifying Foster Care Charitable Organizations (QFCO), qualifying for up to $526 in contributions for single taxpayers and $1,051 for those who are married and filing jointly. Find more information at https://azdor.gov/tax-credits.
“We have definitely seen a change in giving for monetary donations coming out of COVID. We have also seen volunteer interest increase, although we continue to hear form nonprofits that they are struggling to find volunteers,” said Purcell.
Donors can also maximize Giving Tuesday donations through donor matches. A generous donor will double every dollar donated (up to $10,000) for United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, https://unitedwaytucson.org/. Funds raised will benefit the Community Impact fund, which supports education, financial wellness and healthy community programs.
IMPACT of Southern Arizona is another nonprofit that offers a dollar-for-dollar match up to $2,500.
IMPACT, https://www.impactsoaz.org, provides a range of resources for the community, utilizing a three-fold plan to pull people out of poverty: Stabilization through fulfillment of basic requirements such as food and clothing; assistance with maximizing budgets and other resources through education in money management and life skills; and ultimately, long-term self-sufficiency through job training and assistance with job retention. The nonprofit serves clients from 50 zip codes across Pima and Pinal counties.
“People often know us as a food bank, but we are much more than that: We are a resource center. I tell donors, volunteers and community partners that their support creates a ripple effect that can put people on a path to a brand new life. We create moments of impact that can change people’s lives forever,” said Barbara McClure, Executive Director of IMPACT.
McClure emphasized that funds through the CQO tax credit help IMPACT create lasting change.
“We can put someone in jobs programs that change their income from less than $20,000 annually to more than $40,000 in just six months and it only takes four tax credits to do that,” McClure said.
If you prefer to gift in-kind donations, IMPACT is collecting nonperishable food (canned meats, fruits and vegetables; peanuts butter; baking items; condiments)for the self-shopping food bank. The pantry is currently distributing 3,000 nonperishable items—along with fresh produce, frozen meats and other foods—monthly to 800 families. McClure said the need is significant.
“Our shelves are emptying regularly and we need daily donations at this time of the year. Everything you like in your pantry are the items that our clients need in theirs,” said McClure.
Donations can be dropped from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m at 3535 E. Hawser St.
Giving Tuesday also offers a unique opportunity to help the environment while gifting in-kind donations through Cell Phones for Soldiers, which is partnering with ComcastXfinity stores at 8020 N. Cortaro Rd., Suite #120 and 5615 E. River Rd., Suite 121D and local businesses statewide (view the list online at https://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/map/) to provide drop-off locations for old phones. The nonprofit has recycled more than 27 million phones nationwide since inception.
“Cell Phones for Soldiers takes donated phones and uses them to change veterans’ lives by giving them a much-needed lifeline so they can access services such as healthcare, jobs and stay in touch with loved ones,” said Rob Bergquist, founder of Cell Phones for Soldiers.
If you want to give time and/or talent for Giving Tuesday and beyond, consider volunteering for the Eastside Neighbors Volunteer Program. Administered through the Pima Council on Aging, the program helps keep about 300 seniors in their homes by providing transportation to medical appointments, pharmacies and grocery stores. Make a donation or find information about volunteering at https://www.tucsonenvp.com/program-overview/ or call 520-245-4729.
