In a year of uncertainty, sickness, and great need, Memphians stepped up. If you know Memphis, you’re not surprised.
Nelson Mandela said, “It’s in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.” Memphians seem to have a knack for living this out and taking things into their own hands when a need has been left unmet.
Generosity takes many forms: when you check on your neighbor, when you help someone onto the bus, when you drop groceries off with someone who needs them. And sometimes, yes, generosity means giving financially to the organizations that care for our fellow Memphians—or to the organizations that give us art and music and dance and theater that bring light and laughter.
On Giving Tuesday 2020, Memphians came through in a big way, giving $2,695,940 to nonprofits in the Memphis metro area. Incredible! That’s more than TWICE what we gave last year—and it’s a 1000% increase over what we gave in 2016, when the donation data was first tracked.
There are a few things about Giving Tuesday that are encouraging (besides that big number!):
You’re giving your time and your voice. Across the world, nearly half of the people who participate in Giving Tuesday do so in a non-monetary way—by volunteering, by spreading acts of kindness, or by advocating for a cause.
- You’re rooting for the underdog! It’s not just the big boys raising money on Giving Tuesday—small organizations get twice as big a share of the total donations on Giving Tuesday as they do the rest of the year.
So thank you, Memphis. You stepped up for your neighbors, and it mattered.
- Interested in being more involved with Giving Tuesday in 2021? Reach out to us.
- Interested in reading the 2020 Giving Tuesday Impact Report? Go here.
