Dilip Barot, Founder Creative Choice Group and social entrepreneur, highlights a positive “giving” movement in action
There is much to be troubled about in the world these days. Turn on the news and it is often enough to put even the cheeriest person in a state of despair. Things like the recent ISIS attacks, mass shootings, economic recession, political mudslinging, frivolous lawsuits and social injustice… these are just a few of issues that keep us up at night. With all the tragedy and lawsuits, it is easy to get caught up in the gloom. But beyond all these scary issues and real life challenges, there are really positive movements going on every day all around us. This time of year especially, you see acts of kindness (both large and small) and a heightened focus on charitable contributions. Across the organizations I lead, from Etech Global Solutions, to Creative Choice Group in Florida and even our residents at Infocity, I personally see heartfelt efforts to give back and make a positive difference in our local communities. Food drives, clothing donations, walkathons, you name it. Our employees do it all and do it with pride. As a social entrepreneur I am always seeking ways to give back. One effort I recently learned about that I find extremely interesting and impactful is “Giving Tuesday.”
I believe most people have heard of Black Friday. This is a mass shopping day on the Friday after Thanksgiving where frenzied shoppers hunt for bargains at the crack of dawn. Then retailers created Cyber Monday. This is a perfect example of the digital revolution. Consumers shopping online, 24 hours a day to get the best deals available. With all the shopping and spending, one organization seized the moment to create a day for giving. The GivingTuesday.org group founded the event in 2012. The focus is simple. Create a day for giving thanks. Their reported goals are two-fold. 1) Find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. 2) Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving.
Giving Tuesday is more than just an event. It is clearly a movement and a successful one. In 2012, the launch of the event, they collected over $10M in donations. In 2013, they collected $28M and in 2014, almost $47M in one-day contributions. They have not released results for 2015, but it is reasonable to forecast donations well over $75M. What a powerful event. What a great movement. What a great idea!
And while this is a clear example of a grass roots success, it was not just a few people in a room with a website. The ideation team partnered with other prominent business leaders to help promote, kick start and reinforce the initiative. Founding partners included Mashable, a technology website; Skype (launching Skype for Peace) and Cisco. Other partner organizations included Microsoft, Sony, Aldo, Case Foundation, Heifer International, Phoenix House, and Starwood Hotels.
As the holiday season approaches and we close out the end of 2015, I challenge business leaders to think about making giving a top priority. Get something going. Create a movement. Make a difference!