Press release for immediate use

#GivingTuesday focuses on charitable giving in the lead-up to Christmas

More than 100 New Zealand charities are taking part in the inaugural #GivingTuesday being held on Tuesday 2 December.

They join thousands of charities around the world taking part in #GivingTuesday which was first set up in the United States in 2012 to inspire action around charitable giving in the lead-up to Christmas. The movement has now spread to 46 countries, including New Zealand, which is taking part for the first time this year.

The goal is to inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, and give back in better, smarter ways to charities and causes during the giving season. Overseas participants include the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life vaccination programme – supported by Bill and Melinda Gates – the Church of England, and the RSPCA.

New Zealand charities taking part include Oxfam, which will be using the day to provide a pre-Christmas boost to its Oxfam Unwrapped campaign, and the Child Cancer Foundation, which is encouraging people to give up the $5 they may have spent on their morning coffee, lunch, a treat or entertainment to assist the Foundation’s work.

“We really hope people will embrace the spirit of Christmas and help us raise the money needed to support families going through such a tough time,” says Foundation chief executive Robyn Kiddle.

Smaller charities are also taking part in #GivingTuesday. In Whakatane the Dream Chaser Foundation, which supports families with cancer, will be setting up a “trail of gold” down the town’s main street, while in Christchurch Aviva (formerly Christchurch Women’s Refuge) is running a TradeMe auction of donated items that will close on 2 December.

The money raised from the auction will be used to help run Aviva’s free 24-hour, family violence support and information line over the holiday period.

#GivingTuesday is supported by Philanthropy New Zealand, the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ), TechSoup and Volunteering New Zealand. Philanthropy New Zealand chief executive Liz Gibbs says she is delighted that #GivingTuesday has arrived in New Zealand.

“Christmas can be a stressful time and it puts a lot of pressure on families. #GivingTuesday is a way of turning our attention to what Christmas should really be about – celebrating the importance of giving and helping to make the world a better place.”

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