An idea that was born in Manhattan’s 92nd YMHA has blossomed into a global, multibillion phenomenon. Giving Tuesday, now just 11 years old, was originally conceived in response to Black Friday as a tonic to consumerism, says Katherina ‘Kat’ Rosqueta, founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP) at the School of Social Policy & Practice. While CHIP encourages giving throughout the year, the day is “an opportunity to think about generosity and giving,” she says.
Giving Tuesday’s inaugural year was 2012, when people responded by giving $12 billion to a variety of causes, communities, and nonprofit organizations. That number has increased each year. In 2022, the Giving Tuesday Data Commons calculated gifts totaling $3.1 billion, with 37 million people participating in the U.S. alone.
Gifts don’t have to be monetary, Rosqueta says. People participate by helping neighbors, volunteering, fundraising, and raising awareness of causes and organizations they support. “It’s a day to think about not just financial donations to nonprofits but the other ways you can demonstrate and celebrate the spirit of giving,” she says.
Iris Leon, CHIP’s director of operations and strategic initiatives, says that Giving Tuesday also may result in novel donations to additional charities. She sees similarities between the global day of giving and Penn’s Way, the University’s matching campaign. “That collective part of it is why I ended up participating in Penn’s Way,” she says. “I picked a charity that I wouldn’t have participated in otherwise. It was easy. It was a no-brainer.”
“It’s helpful to have a day where we reflect on and, if we’re moved, to act on our desire to help the world and be generous,” Rosqueta says. “Think of the moment in time that we’re in right now, where we’ve got real divisions in society.” Giving Tuesday, she says, “is a moment to think about how you can make the world a better place.”
