Giving Tuesday 2026 is Tuesday, December 1 — the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s a global day for generosity: donating, volunteering and simple acts of kindness.
What is Giving Tuesday?
GivingTuesday started in 2012 as an idea from New York’s 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation. It has grown into a worldwide movement in which nonprofits, families, schools and businesses encourage giving at the start of the holiday season.
Ways to give back
- Donate to a local food bank or shelter.
- Sponsor a family’s holiday wish list.
- Give to a school, library or hospital fund.
- Support disaster relief or medical research.
- Ask your employer about donation matching.
- Start a small birthday-style fundraiser for a cause you love.
Ways to give without money
- Volunteer a few hours at a pantry or animal shelter.
- Donate blood.
- Clear out gently used coats and blankets for a winter drive.
- Write thank-you cards to nurses, teachers or veterans.
- Check on an elderly neighbor.
- Share a nonprofit’s post to help them reach more people.
How to check a charity before you give
- Search the organization on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to confirm its 501(c)(3) status.
- Look it up on independent evaluators such as Charity Navigator or BBB Wise Giving Alliance.
- Give directly on the charity’s official website.
- Be careful with urgent phone calls or texts asking for gift cards or wire transfers.
Tax tips
Donations to qualified 501(c)(3) charities may be tax-deductible. Keep receipts, and ask a tax professional how current rules apply to you.
Giving Tuesday quotes and captions
- “No one has ever become poor by giving.” — Anne Frank (widely attributed)
- Small acts, when multiplied, can transform the world.
- Give what you can, where you can.
- Kindness is the best gift you can unwrap.
- Today we give back. #GivingTuesday
- Generosity looks good on everyone.
More inspiration: gratitude quotes, World Kindness Day ideas and Cyber Monday 2026.
FAQ
When is Giving Tuesday 2026?
Tuesday, December 1, 2026.
Why is it called Giving Tuesday?
It follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday to start the holiday season with giving instead of buying.
