It's Giving Tuesday, a time to give charities some holiday cheer

If you are feeling generous after scoring cyber-bargains and nabbing doorbusters last weekend, consider giving it up Tuesday, Nov. 29, for #GivingTuesday, the latest in the line-up of post-Thanksgiving days that herald the arrival of the holidays.

Developed in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y in New York City with the intent to “connect diverse groups of individuals, communities and organizations around the world for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage giving,” the movement now encompasses more than 40,000 local, national and global charitable organizations.

Locally, organizations such as the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona and Interfaith Community Services are hoping to garner donations of money, time and/or in-kind items while infusing folks with the true meaning of the holiday season.

“Making donations through Giving Tuesday and our holiday programs are great ways to spread a little holiday cheer. We always need other donations as well and of, course, we hope people will remember us for the 2016 Arizona Charitable Tax Credit for Qualifying Charitable Organizations,” said Deborah Carr, philanthropy and public relations director for Interfaith Community Services.

ICS will use donations made on #GivingTuesday for general operating costs as well as emergency financial assistance programs — which provide money for rent, utilities, transportation and job assistance — for families in need and programs such as Mobile Meals and other assistance for low-income seniors. Last year, the agency served more than 1,300 seniors — an increase of more than 30 percent over the prior year — and Carr said resources are not keeping pace.

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“The Tucson area is the third most rapidly aging city in America according to Forbes Magazine. We are seeing those numbers translate into more requests for assistance, particularly for seniors who are low income or living on extremely fixed incomes,” Carr said.

Every donation matters, according to Carr. She said that $30 buys two monthly bus passes so people can travel to work; $50 pays for 12 meals for seniors or disabled people through the ICS Mobile Meals program and $1,200 can pay a month’s rent for two families.

Alternately, according to ICS research, the estimated cost to house a family of four in an emergency shelter for one month and help them access the resources they will receive if they are homeless is $3,448.

“It is much more cost-effective — and less stressful on the family and the children — to keep a family together in their home. Anytime we can lessen a family’s reliance on systemic assistance and point them in direction of self sufficiency, it is really a cost savings for the community. We work with people to develop plans and identify barriers to being self-reliant and help them get back on a path toward long-term independence,” she said.

During the holidays, short-term assistance include the ICS Holiday Gifts of Love program, which allows individuals, groups, businesses and faith organizations to adopt a family receiving ICS assistance. Almost 100 families have been adopted this year, but more than 200 families are still awaiting adoption.