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Giving Tuesday: Lead by giving this season
Everyone feels the excitement of the holiday season. They are excited about the possibilities of the magic that is a part of the holidays. What makes the holidays magical? Many would say it’s the time dedicated to connecting with loved ones, engaging in special traditions, the sense of nostalgia and the feeling of togetherness. Some would say it’s the festive decorations, delicious food and the anticipation of gifts. Others would say that magic is found when giving during the holiday season. Giving is the magic that makes the holiday season special.
There is no wrong way to give, whether you’re giving your time to a friend, giving food to someone in need or even just being kind, giving will always benefit someone else and foster a sense of community.
Following Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday comes Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is a day of giving that inspires worldwide generosity and encourages people to do good for others. Donating time or money to charitable causes that give back to the community can be a simplistic but caring way to give. Giving Tuesday offers meaningful ways to support communities both locally and globally.
To help eliminate the stress of knowing how to give this Giving Tuesday, a list of some local non-profit organizations in Utah County that are in need of support has been compiled below.
The Alpine School District Foundation offers a program called Caring for Christmas.
“This is a program where we have partnered with the United Way of Utah County and use the money raised to support Sub for Santa kids and families throughout Utah County. We encourage families throughout the district to sign up with Sub for Santa, as that is a consistent method for folks to use to get support and it reduces some redundancy. And since we encourage our families to sign up, we use donations we receive and a network of volunteers to help do more with Sub for Santa,” said Tyler Vigue, executive director of the ASD Foundation.
The Alpine School District also accepts donations to support the Principal’s Pantry at https://foundation.alpineschools.org/principals-pantry/ and the Kids Closet at https://foundation.alpineschools.org/kids-closet/. The Principal’s Pantry helps fight food insecurity in the community, and the Kids Closet supports the basic needs of children.
“Unfortunately, many needs exist throughout the year, so the Alpine School District Foundation gladly accepts donations any time of year to support food insecurity, clothing or other needs families may have. We then work with school based social workers, therapists, counselors, administrators and teachers to provide help to kids and families in need,” said Vigue. Additional information can be found at https://foundation.alpineschools.org/.
Polaris High School is one of Alpine School District’s alternative schools that focuses on “empowering students through connections and learning.” Polaris recently opened a Teen Center to support students in difficult situations. The Teen Center provides students with opportunities to learn life skills, it provides student wellness resources, a laundry facility and offers to students basic clothing needs, perishable and non-perishable food items, household items and hygiene products.
The Teen Center at Polaris gladly accepts donations. Please email Linda McCoy at lmccoy@alpinedistrict.org for further information on how to support the Teen Center.
According to The Policy Project, “15,499 Utah students are classified as homeless and lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence and there has been a 34% increase in Utah students experiencing homelessness since 2020. One in three Utah students are economically disadvantaged and qualify for free or reduced lunch.” The Policy Project is a Teen Center Project that provides an innovative solution for Utah high schools to build or improve services such as food pantries, laundry facilities and showers. This allows schools to meet the basic needs of students within high schools through a public partnership between the Utah Legislature and private donors. All donations are accepted at https://www.thepolicyproject.org/theteencenterproject.
The State of Utah and Utah County have several community-based resource centers that provide free and confidential services to survivors of sexual violence. Many resources available are domestic violence and sexual violence programs, crisis intervention, court and medical advocacy, victim advocacy programs, referrals for counseling and therapy, housing support, and general safety assurance and planning. More information can be found at https://www.ucasa.org/community.
Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault (UCASA) is an organization that focuses on sexual violence education, prevention and response in Utah. The organization offers easy ways to contribute to the cause of assisting survivors and advocating to end sexual violence at https://www.ucasa.org/contribute. Another service provider for survivors of sexual violence is The Refuge Utah, located in Orem and contributions can be made at https://therefugeutah.org/.
Community Action Services and Food Bank is the second largest food bank in Utah and serves Utah, Wasatch and Summit Counties in Utah. According to their website, “As a food bank, we rely on the generous contributions of our community to help supply our clients and partner agencies with food needed to fight hunger. Through our grocery rescue program, in partnership with many local grocery stores, we can provide many nutritious items such as bread, fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, eggs and dairy products.”
Community Action Services offers opportunities to volunteer, host a food drive, contribute food donations or make a donation. The organization fosters self-reliance in individuals, families and communities. In 2023, the organization gave food through food pantries to “22, 172 unduplicated individuals in Utah” as well as provided “39,968 children’s meals.” Community Action Services also provides homeless sheltering through motel vouchers, works to prevent rent evictions and provides utility assistance as well as moving “52 households from homelessness to permanent housing” in 2023.
To donate or learn more, visit https://www.communityactionprovo.org/how-to-help/.
Tabitha’s Way is a local food pantry that helps “individuals and families through tough times by providing temporary food assistance and recommending resources through self-reliance.” Tabitha’s Way has three food pantries located in Spanish Fork, Pleasant Grove and Saratoga Springs.
Last year Tabitha’s Way distributed 6,962,355 meals and assisted 154,719 individuals. Tabitha’s Way encourages volunteers to serve at any of the food pantries as well as willingly accepts donations. Please refer to https://tabithasway.org/donate/ for additional information, to volunteer or to make a donation.
The Alpine Bible Church located in Lehi provides a food pantry for the local community. According to their website, “While we have faithfully run the Food Pantry since November of 2020, we have seen it grow far beyond what we initially envisioned. We currently partner with local grocers and stores that provide us with safe and healthy free food every week for the people who walk through our doors.”
For more information. please visit https://www.alpinebible.com/serve/food-pantry/.
Miss Lehi 2024, AnaLeigha Meek, has organized a blanket drive to “bring the gift of warmth this winter.” The blanket drive will run from Nov. 14 through Dec. 15 and will be collecting new, adult-size blankets for local charities, shelters and senior living centers.
“After volunteering at a local homeless shelter and learning about the urgent need for adult-size blankets this holiday season, I knew I had to take action. I’ve partnered with The Giving Grinch Foundation to help collect blankets for those in need,” said Meek. “I am committed to giving the ‘gift of warmth,’ and I am inviting others to join me in making a difference.”
For convenience, there is a registry available to select pre-picked blankets that will be shipped directly to the drop-off location at https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/TN1CBR97DTKH. For additional information, please visit @misslehi.ut on Instagram.
Miss Lehi’s Teen 2024, Desiree McKinnon, has organized a Sub for Santa project that will help families in Lehi City. Nominations are needed for Lehi families that may need help this Christmas season. Nominations can be made from Nov. 25 through Dec. 14. Everyone is encouraged to donate monetarily or sign up to support families with Christmas needs. Donations will be accepted through Dec. 14.
“Giving is more than donating, it is about making a difference. Please join in the Sub for Santa cause to make a difference for families in Lehi,” said McKinnon. Family nomination forms and information on how to donate is linked in the bio @misslehiteen.ut on Instagram.
The South Utah Valley Animal Shelter located in Spanish Fork reunites pets with owners and ensures all shelter pets are safe and well cared for. Donations help with animal health and care and finding shelter pets a home. Please visit https://www.suvas.org/ for volunteer and foster information or to make a donation.
The JustServe organization, https://www.justserve.org/, is a resource for those wanting to serve, volunteer and get involved. The site is provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The organization connects volunteers to organizations that need them. They do the work of researching and finding service projects; all you have to do is submit a project or register to join as a community volunteer. Their focus is to “build unity through community service.” Please visit https://userve.utah.gov/how-to-serve-during-the-holidays/ for more information.
There is no wrong way to give this holiday season; what is important is leading the way this Giving Tuesday.
