VOA文化艺术2024--What Is GivingTuesday?

Since its start in 2012, GivingTuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, has become one of the biggest money-raising days of the year for nonprofits in the United States.

In 2022 and 2023, GivingTuesday raised $3.1 billion for charity, or aid, organizations, as estimated¹ by GivingTuesday.

This year, GivingTuesday is on December 3.

How did GivingTuesday start?

The #GivingTuesday hashtag started as a project of the 92nd Street Y in New York City in 2012. It became an independent organization in 2020. It has grown into a worldwide organization of local groups that support giving in their communities, often on different dates that have local importance, like holidays.

Now, GivingTuesday, the nonprofit, also gathers researchers studying everyday giving. It also collects data from wide sources like payment² processors, crowdfunding sites, employee giving software and organizations that offer charitable giving.

What is the purpose of GivingTuesday?

For nonprofits, the point of GivingTuesday is to raise money and engage their supporters. Many nonprofits will organize fundraising campaigns with email and mail appeals that arrive on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

Nonprofits do not have to be linked in any way with GivingTuesday, the organization, to run a fundraising campaign. GivingTuesday will still provide them with graphics⁴ and advice. In that way, it remains⁵ a grassroots effort with groups and donors⁶ taking part as they like.

Has GivingTuesday been successful?

GivingTuesday has grown far beyond its early days when it mainly pushed for giving on social media. The day has become a well-known event that seeks to center charitable giving and volunteering in the U.S. and around the world.

For years, GivingTuesday has been a major focus of fundraising for nonprofits, with many seeking to organize matching donations⁷ from major donors. It is the beginning of the end-of-year fundraising race as nonprofits seek to reach their budget targets for the following year.

Donations on GivingTuesday in 2022 and 2023 reached $3.1 billion, an increase from $2.7 billion in 2021. While that is a lot to raise in a single day, the trend last year was flat and fewer donors were giving. The organization says that is a worrying sign.

Words in This Story

hashtag - n. a word or phrase preceded⁸ by the symbol # that classifies⁹ or categorizes the accompanying text (such as a tweet)

crowdfunding - n. the practice of obtaining needed funding (as for a new business) by soliciting¹⁰ contributions from a large number of people especially from the online community

graphics - n. graphic³ media such as images, maps, charts, etc.

focus - n. special attention you give something

matching - adj. equal in amount

trend - n. a general movement

1 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

2 payment   

n.付款，支付，偿还，偿还，报应

参考例句：

• I gave ten pounds in payment for the goods I bought.我买那些东西付了10英镑。
• This last payment will wipe out your debt to me.这最后一笔付款将了结你欠我的债务。

3 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

4 graphics   

n.制图法，制图学；图形显示

参考例句：

• You've leveraged your graphics experience into the video area.你们把图形设计业务的经验运用到录像业务中去。
• Improved graphics took computer games into a new era.经改进的制图技术将电脑游戏带进了一个新时代。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 donations   

n.捐赠( donation的名词复数 )；赠送；捐款；捐赠物

参考例句：

• The hospital receives a good deal of money in donations. 这家医院收到捐赠来的大笔款项。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The charity is completely reliant on public donations. 这一慈善团体完全依靠公众捐款。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 preceded   

在…之前发生（或出现），先于( precede的过去式和过去分词 )； 走在…前面

参考例句：

• He preceded his speech with a warning against inattention. 他在开始讲演前告诫大家不得心不在焉。
• He preceded his speech with welcome to the guests. 他在正式讲演前，先对来宾表示欢迎。

9 classifies   

分类( classify的第三人称单数 )； 归类； 划分； 区分

参考例句：

• The U. S. Food and Drug administration classifies it as a food additive for tea. 美国食品和药物管理局把它归在茶的辅加食物一类。
• It both classifies and ghost novel, and has the difference with it. 它既可归类到“神怪小说”的系统中去，又与之有所区别。

10 soliciting   

v.恳求( solicit的现在分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求

参考例句：

• A prostitute was soliciting on the street. 一名妓女正在街上拉客。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• China Daily is soliciting subscriptions. 《中国日报》正在征求订户。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》