With Black Friday behind it and Cyber Monday in full swing, Chattanooga is gearing up for its own version of #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back.
Started in 2012 and fueled by the power of social media and collaboration, #GivingTuesday is an international movement aimed at reminding people to give to charity. And four years ago, #CHAgives was formed to localize the campaign in the Chattanooga region.
Last year, #CHAgives raised nearly $500,000 – more than double the amount from 2016 – for Chattanooga’s nonprofit community in just 24 hours and ranked in the top 15 most generous cities in America, out of more than 110 #GivingTuesday campaigns. The goal for this Tuesday is to raise $750,000 in donations.
People hold signs during the Cha Gives kickoff announcement Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016 at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. CHA Gives Day will be Tuesday, November 29, 2016.“The idea behind Giving Tuesday is that we can do more together than we can do alone, so the more nonprofits that get involved every year, the more donors we can reach,” said Chelsea Conrad, director of creative engagement for Causeway. “I think that really benefits everyone involved because we’re really able to raise more all together.”
Causeway, a Chattanooga-based nonprofit, is partnering with the United Way of Greater Chattanooga, the Generosity Trust, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga to promote #CHAgives. And this year, the campaign is being run by a committee of 10 nonprofit leaders who have run successful fundraising campaigns in the past.