What is Giving Tuesday? One Way We Give Back

What is Giving Tuesday?

We are leaf-deep into November, and Giving Tuesday is right around the corner. Are you familiar with this international movement, where individuals and companies pledge acts of service or donations to important causes?

The opportunity to participate in Giving Tuesday is ongoing year-round, but the most prevalent date always falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. We love that this timing follows Black Friday to return us to our generous and community-minded centers. The feasting, sales, and shopping rush are fun and exhilarating but can also be a bit tiring. Once we've rested, what a great way to refill our cup by giving back!

Help Your Neighbors

This year, we are keeping it uber-local and uber 'fruitful' by partnering with our friends and neighbors at the Ashland Emergency Food Bank.

The Ashland Food Bank Serves 

• Nearly 650 families from Ashland and Talent Oregon each month
• This translates to feeding about 1,700 people per month
• 35% of those families have children under the age of 18 
• 17% of those shoppers are seniors
• 16% are unhoused
• Oregon's food insecurity rate is one of the highest in the nation. 

Statistics from AEFB Website. These numbers do fluctuate seasonally.

Our Giving Tuesday Pledge

• Donate 10% of all sales on Giving Tuesday (11/29) to AEFB

Giving Tuesday falls during our 30% off Sitewide Sale this year, so if you've got YALA gifts on your list, you can shop, save, and give back to Ashland Emergency Food Bank with your purchases! 

• Volunteer as a team in the December Food Drive

This is a bi-monthly event, where AEFB relies on volunteers to support receiving an average of 25,000 pounds of food. In doing so, YALA will be one of the first companies to partner with AEFB in this way!

 

 

Going Beyond Giving Tuesday

And that's not all. YALA is also working to build community service into our policies so that employees can contribute paid volunteer time every year at AEFB or other local organizations!

Fight Food Scarcity in Your Community

There are several ways to get involved at a local food bank and mitigate food scarcity within your community in good company. For example, contributing to the Ashland Emergency Food Bank can look like this:

🍏 Grow your own garden and share excess produce during the growing season.

🍏 Volunteer in AEFB's on-site garden in the Spring and Summer. This is a need that is currently lacking support.

🍏 Participate in Bi-Monthly Saturday food drives to receive, sort, and shelve large incoming food donations.

🍏 Participate in the 'Green Bag Brigade' by organizing people in your neighborhood to donate non-perishable food for monthly pick up or join an established Brigade to donate food.

🍏 Volunteer within AEFB during open hours to help clients shop for food.

🍏 Donate money. Spread the word to encourage other people to donate money or volunteer time. 

🍏 Organize a group to volunteer in any of the above ways together.

As they say at givingtuesday.org, 'Everyone has something to give, and every act of generosity counts.' 

Let's make this Giving Tuesday the best, and let it be a springboard to greater-giving year-round.

Action Suggestion Recap

Take Action on November 29th!

♥ Donate to a favorite or local charity, or find a cause that pulls at your heartstrings at givingtuesday.org. 

♥ Shop for your holiday gifts with YALA on 11/29 and save 30% off sitewide while contributing to our Ashland Emergency Food Bank fundraiser.

♥ Donate money, food, or volunteer directly at a Food Bank in your local area.