This year, Tuesday, November 29 has officially been proclaimed as GivingTuesday by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward; the city will also fly a GivingTuesday flag to encourage all Burlington residents to give to others in some way.
Halton Gives is the region’s local movement championing GivingTuesday, a global movement for giving, be it in the form of monetary donations, volunteering, donating food or goods, or acts of kindness: all types of generosity and giving. The day itself, the first Tuesday after American Thanksgiving, was founded in 2012 as “a day that encourages people to do good,” according to GivingTuesday Canada. The movement grew; the Canadian arm was founded in 2013 by a group of partners including CanadaHelps.org, Habitat for Humanity Canada, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and others. Over 80 countries across the world have GivingTuesday movements.
For 2021 alone, GivingTuesday Canada reports a total of $43.6 million in online donations. They also reported that 600 lb of food was donated, 800 ducks were sponsored for wetland conservation, and 464 scouts participated in acts of kindness.
In Burlington, Halton Gives notes that Right at Home Canada has a Stockings for Seniors campaign, collecting stocking stuffers including socks, slippers, puzzle books, chocolates, candies, and personal hygiene products to give to seniors living in long-term care homes. These items can be placed in a donation bin at 1100 Walkers Line, Suite 301, and will help to brighten up the holidays for these long-term care residents.
The YMCA of Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford (YMCA of HBB) is aiming high: their goal is to raise $30,000 to purchase $100 gift cards for food, essentials, and toys to give to 300 families in need of help. Your generous donation will go even further, as the YMCA of HBB board of directors and senior leadership team are matching donations up to $15,000.
Another organization with a gift-matching campaign this year is Acclaim Health, who supports families and people living with dementia. Some of Acclaim’s long-time donor families have pledged to match all donations by 50% to 100%.
The Burlington Food Bank is continuing its excellent work to provide food for those who need it, with GivingTuesday promotions on its social media channels. Find them on Instagram (@burlfoodbank), Twitter (@BurlFoodBank), and Facebook (@BurlingtonFoodBank). They provide both perishable and non-perishable food items, ensuring good nutrition is available to anyone in Burlington who is hungry — when they need it and in a dignified manner.
The Burlington Food Bank’s 2021 Hunger Report states that the pandemic drastically increased the number of people accessing the food bank, and those numbers have not decreased: the pandemic has left lasting financial impacts and an increase in the number of people finding it difficult to put food on the table. For people in low-wage jobs or those who rely on the Ontario Disability Support Program or Ontario Works for their income, accessing the Burlington Food Bank may allow them to pay for other essentials, like rent or utilities.
Burlington Food Bank’s most needed food items are: cereal (hot and cold); large soup; juice (boxes and 1 L); granola bars (peanut-free); peanut butter; crackers; canned fruit; canned tomatoes; canned vegetables; and baked beans. Also important are diapers, toiletries, and cleaning supplies. You can donate to the Burlington Food Bank online, organize a food drive, or grow food to donate.
Donations for the Burlington Food Bank will also be collected at the Burlington Santa Claus Parade on Dec. 4 (2 p.m. to 4 p.m.).
Share your GivingTuesday activities using the hashtag #GivingTuesday on social media. If you see Burlington residents doing amazing acts of generosity, kindness, and giving on the day, share the story and/or photos with us to publish on Local-news.ca: email us at articles@local-news.ca. We love good news stories!
Sources:
Bailey, R., and Siekiel, J. 2022. 2021 Hunger Report. Burlington Food Bank. Url: https://www.burlingtonfoodbank.ca/2021-hunger-report/ (accessed Nov. 24, 2022).
