El Paso Giving Day is a 24-hour online giving drive that raises as much money as possible in one day for organizations that help those in our community. Over the last several years, community Giving Days have become increasingly popular for cities to encourage local involvement and philanthropy among residents. Many Texas cities, including Dallas, Austin and San Antonio, have seen tremendous resul
ts with their Giving Days, raising millions of dollars in one day for local charities. In summer 2016, the Barna Group announced El Paso/Las Cruces as the most generous city in America, pointing out that the most generous cities are not necessarily the best off financially. In other words, you don’t have to be a millionaire to participate in charitable giving. You can make a difference with a gift of $25 or even $10. This is exactly what El Paso Giving Day is all about. If 100 people each give $10, that’s $1,000. A Giving Day leverages El Paso’s generous spirit to make a big impact on the nonprofits that offer critical services to our citizens. What matters on a Giving Day isn’t the size of the individual gifts, but that we can make a difference as a collective whole. All you need is a credit or debit card and internet access. It’s just as easy as ordering those cute shoes from Amazon or paying a bill online – and a lot more rewarding. You can even make your donation from your phone or tablet. On El Paso Giving Day, go to ElPasoGivingDay.org and select your nonprofit organization of choice – you can give to one or many. Not sure of a charity you wish to support? You can search for an organization supporting the things that are important to you, such as homelessness, animal rescue or childhood literacy. In true 21st-century fashion, it’s critical to share on Facebook and Twitter that you gave on Giving Day to help spread the word and encourage your friends and other El Pasoans to participate, too. With a minimum donation of $10 for El Paso Giving Day, participating is a no-brainer. One of best outcomes of Giving Days is that 40 percent of the donors are first-time donors to charity. If this is your first time making a financial donation to charity, be warned that you just might like it. It might even become a habit. All kidding aside, a giving heart makes our city a more beautiful place. Let’s join forces on El Paso Giving Day as a city and give what we can to support the causes closest to our hearts.
