(Bridgeview, IL 11/21/13) Zakat Foundation of America has joined #GivingTuesday, a first of its kind effort that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners—charities, families, businesses and individuals to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they support and help create a better world. Taking place December 3, 2013 – the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping.
Zakat Foundation of America joins #GivingTuesday because of the fundamental belief that instilling a culture of giving rather than over consuming can create a better world. Holidays such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday encourage spending for the self and living disconnected from the world; however, #GivingTuesday's counter movement encourages connecting with the world around you through meaningful causes, which coincided with the Prophetic tradition.
Zakat Foundation of America has taken up the cause of Graduating Women in Kenya. Zakat Foundation of America, in partnership with Heshima Kenya, supports the Girls Empowerment Program, which is alternative education program for young women from the ages of 13-23. This program is the introduction to education for most of the women in the program and offers a variety of different opportunities. Zakat Foundation of America's #Giving Tuesday cause is to graduate 20 young women from the vocational training program.
Seeing an opportunity to channel the generous spirit of the holiday season to inspire action around charitable giving, a group of friends and partners, led by the 92nd Street Y, came together to find ways to promote and celebrate the great American tradition of giving.
It’s been a privilege to work with remarkable leaders all over the country building a movement around #GivingTuesday,” said Henry Timms, 92Y’s Interim Executive Director. “This initiative has truly been crowd sourced by some of the smartest and most connected minds among the next generation of philanthropists and entrepreneurs.”
#GivingTuesday is a counter narrative to Black Friday and Cyber Monday because it reminds us that the spirit of the holiday giving season should be about community and not just consumerism,” said Kathy Calvin, CEO of the UN Foundation. “The most meaningful gift we can give our children, loved ones, friends and neighbors is the commitment to work together to help build a better world.”
Those who are interested in joining Zakat Foundation of America’s #GivingTuesday initiative can visit zakat.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.