As I have shared in previous columns, I am a sucker for special days on the calendar. And when I mean special, I’m talking about the artificial ones that have been created over the last number of years… days like National Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19), National Coffee Day (September 29), National Pizza Day (February 9), and of course, the day that set them all in motion… National Donut Day (1st Friday in June) is my all-time favorite.

As someone who runs a nonprofit like the Jewish Federation, you might expect GivingTuesday to be at the top of my list. However, while I appreciate the idea and its sentiment, I have some reservations about the day. For starters, if you have checked your email inbox or social feed at all today, each has probably been saturated with emails or posts from your favorite nonprofits. It is overwhelming. With this inundation of asks, it is hard for them to get any traction or stand out from the others.

Again, don’t get me wrong, I believe it is important for people to support organizations (like our Jewish Federation) that are doing incredible work for others, but as a fundraiser, it’s very hard to stand out from the crowd when everyone else is sending out multiple emails asking people to support their organizations.

You may not be aware that #GivingTuesday was the brainchild of the 92nd Street Y, a Jewish organization that has been around for over 150 years. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day encouraging people to do good. And for the last 12 years, this now global movement has been doing some incredible work by promoting the power each of us has through our individual and collective generosity.

I love that there is a day set aside each year that highlights the powerfully impactful work nonprofits do every day for the benefit of our world. GivingTuesday is more than just an organization asking for support; it is a way to collectively share how our world is better through the work nonprofits do. You may not know that there are roughly 2 million registered nonprofits in the US, accounting for over 10% of all private-sector workers. And did you know that Pasadena has the highest concentration of nonprofits per capita of any city in the US, second only to Washington, DC?

One of the great things about celebrating a “National” Day is the feeling that you are participating in something bigger than yourself along with others. As such, I highly encourage you to make a gift today (or multiple gifts) to your favorite organization(s). And on behalf of my fellow nonprofit Executive Directors/CEOs/Presidents/etc. colleagues… thank you. Nonprofits are only able to truly thrive and be able to work towards fulfilling their respective missions through community support. Your gift will help them and is always appreciated.

And remember, while making a gift today is wonderful, please do what you can to provide ongoing support for your favorite nonprofits beyond today. There are so many other ways you can support them that go far beyond your gift, including something as simple as sharing a social media post, making sure your friends know about the organization’s work, and even writing a testimonial about how you have benefited from the organization. Use today’s GivingTuesday as a jumping-off point for your involvement in your favorite nonprofit.