ATLANTA (Nov. 21, 2013) — CARE is encouraging people around the world to celebrate the giving spirit Dec. 3 as the global poverty-fighting organization marks #GivingTuesday with a Donor Appreciation Call-A-Thon.
From a phone bank at CARE’s Atlanta headquarters and from regional offices around the country, CARE employees will call donors and thank them for supporting CARE’s work in 85 countries around the globe. Last year, on the inaugural Giving Tuesday, 118 CARE employees made more than 2,100 thank-you calls and we hope to replicate that effort this year.
#GivingTuesday is a movement to create an annual day celebrating and encouraging charitable giving during the holiday season. CARE is committed to helping Giving Tuesday enter the public consciousness as an “Opening Day” for the traditional year-end giving season, just as Black Friday and Cyber Monday kick off the holiday shopping season.
“#GivingTuesday is about celebrating people who give to those in need—whether they live halfway down the block or halfway around the world,” said Helene D. Gayle, President and CEO of CARE. “Nearly seven decades ago, CARE was born out of that same generosity as Americans sent CARE Packages of food and other essentials to families in war-torn Europe. That legacy has continued over the years, and we want to thank today’s CARE donors who, rather than send boxes, help us deliver lasting change to the poorest communities around the globe.”
CARE’s other #GivingTuesday efforts include:
- As part of CARE’s year-end giving promotion, anyone who donates at www.care.org on Giving Tuesday will have that gift matched dollar for dollar by CARE’s board.
- A #GivingTuesday landing page on CARE’s website starting the last week of November. It will include CARE’s #GivingTuesday video and other #GivingTuesday efforts.
- CARE will highlight a new ad campaign that brings back the iconic CARE Package®, an international symbol of giving, through a contemporary lens that showcases CARE’s sustainable solutions to poverty.
- Join My Village – a partnership between CARE, Merck and General Mills – will release a new video highlighting the power of individuals to join the fight against poverty by taking simple online actions. Starting on #GivingTuesday and for the entire month (Dec. 3-31, 2013), each “like” or “share” of Join My Village content on social media will result in a $3 contribution from Merck and General Mills to support CARE programs in education, maternal health and economic development opportunities for girls and women in India and Malawi, up to $100,000 total. The funds will be used to help build and stock two libraries and provide other critical support for CARE programs in those two countries.
- A post by a CARE Package recipient for Huffington Post’s #GivingTuesday series.
About CARE
Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside poor girls and women because, equipped with the proper resources, they have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. Last year CARE worked in 84 countries and reached 83 million people around the world. To learn more, visit www.care.org.
Media Contacts
Nicole Harris, nharris@care.org, 404.979.9503, 404.735.0871 or Brian Feagans, bfeagans@care.org, 404.979.9453, 404.457.4644.