Join Me in Supporting #GivingTuesday!

After Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, there's an opportunity to make a difference either by volunteering or by donating to a favorite cause.

According to Kathy Calvin, former CEO of the United Nations Foundation, "GivingTuesday is a counter narrative to Black Friday and Cyber Monday because it reminds us that the spirit of the holiday season should be about community and not just consumerism. The most meaningful gift we can give our children, loved ones, friends, and neighbors is the commitment to work together to help build a better world. Long associated with millionaires, philanthropy now belongs to everyone. Through technology and digital communications, people of all ages and all backgrounds can get involved in an issue, whether it’s making an online donation to a group on the other side of the planet or starting a petition to mobilize a community of advocates to push for change. The belief that anyone can make a difference is at the core of the United Nations Foundation’s work."

Here are the nonprofits I'm supporting this year on Giving Tuesday:

GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND (GDB) (San Rafael, CA)

"With world-class client services and a robust network of instructors, puppy raisers, donors, and volunteers, we prepare highly qualified guide dogs and K9 Buddy dogs, provide guide dog readiness skills, and offer youth programs to empower individuals who are blind or visually impaired. GDB not only improves mobility for our clients, we further inclusion. As the largest guide dog school in North America, more than 16,000 guide dog teams have graduated from GDB from across the U.S. and Canada since our founding in 1942. All of our services are provided free of charge, including personalized training and ongoing support, plus financial assistance for veterinary care, if needed. Our work is made possible by the generous support of our donors and volunteers; we receive no government funding."

CANINE COMPANIONS (Santa Rosa, CA)

"Canine Companions provides service dogs to adults, children, and veterans with disabilities and facility dogs to professionals working in healthcare, criminal justice, and educational settings. Since our founding in 1975, our dogs and all follow-up services are provided at no cost to our clients. Independence shouldn’t be limited to those who look or live a certain way. Disability reaches all races, classes, and backgrounds, and Canine Companions will too. Here are some numbers showcasing our growth:

* 8,000+ graduate teams placed since our founding in 1975

* 450 working dog teams placed in 2023

* 2,700+ active graduate teams nationwide

* 4,300+ active volunteers nationwide

* 1,100+ puppies being raised by volunteers

* Several hundred Canine Companions release dogs currently functioning in such human services roles as bomb searching, border patrol, customs, and therapy and guide dogs."

CAT NOIR RESCUE (Los Angeles, CA)

"At Cat Noir Rescue, we believe every cat deserves a chance at love, safety, and a forever home. We shine a light on the most overlooked felines - black cats. Based in Los Angeles, we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and foster-based rescue dedicated to saving stray, abandoned, and at-risk cats, with a special focus on those passed over due to superstition or stigma.

SHARE THIS: A black cat appearing at your doorstep is a sign of coming wealth and prosperity. ~Cat Noir Rescue #FunFact #blackcatsbringgoodluck #GivingTuesday #DebbieLaskeysBlog

What brands with important missions will you support today? Chime in and share.

SHARE THIS: You do not have to be a world leader – or even a billionaire – to make an impact. If we are going to turn things around, we all need to do our part to make it happen. Change starts with you. ~Ted Turner #DebbieLaskeysBlog #GivingTuesday

Image Credits: Guide Dogs for the Blind, Canine Companions, and Cat Noir Rescue.

Check out the nonprofits mentioned above:

Guide Dogs for the Blind: https://www.guidedogs.com

and

Canine Companions: https://canine.org/service-dogs

and

Cat Noir Rescue: https://www.catnoirrescue.org

Learn fun facts and the history of black cats: 

https://www.catnoirrescue.org/black-cat-facts

Check out Cat Noir Rescue's Wish List on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/28RQB8M19XEC0/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex