#GivingTuesday, “the giving season’s opening day,” is this Tuesday, November 27! True to its overachiever ways, Charity Miles issued a challenge yesterday: double contributions for anyone who would walk, run, or bike at least a mile for each of its 13 causes.
I tried a strategy to cover each of the Charity Miles causes back in October but then the blue-haired gorilla thing happened and I got obsessed enthusiastic about a challenge that was specific to Autism Speaks.
But I have been given another chance with this challenge, and I am going to meet it!
Twenty minutes a day for the next eleven days to walk/run my miles on top of all of my other obligations seems like a lot, but as we dig out of the two year unemployment situation, I have more time than money so it’s a way for me to honor Giving Tuesday, to keep the Giving Tuesday excitement alive, and to (hopefully) generate additional awareness of and enthusiasm for the Charity Miles causes.
I mean, honestly, 20 minutes is a minor sacrifice for me but:
Anyone who has gone through chemotherapy can attest that 20 minutes of post-chemotherapy misery feels a lot longer. A reason to Stand Up To Cancer.
Families all across America face difficulty feeding their children. Families affected by Hurricane Sandy will experience this challenge long after the news cameras have left. I heard that families right here in North Florida affected by the declining oyster industry were encouraged to tell their children to drink a glass of water at night so they will be less hungry since they didn’t have enough to eat. A reason to support Feeding America.
The time it takes me to walk a mile will be a portion of the time it takes laboring women in some countries to walk to a place where they can give birth in relative safety. A reason to support Every Mother Counts.
For every Parkinson’s Disease patient or family member who asks “I’ve Got What?” my twenty minutes may help a researcher get a little bit closer to an answer. A reason to support The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
I don’t know if it took Abu Mohamed exactly 20 minutes to take advantage of a lull in fighting in Syria to escape with his family to safety, but I do know they are now dependent on the United Nations World Food Programme for nutrition. A reason to support the World Food Programme.
My easy mile around my hometown block is nothing compared to 20 minutes of agonizing physical therapy endured by a soldier working his or her way through rehabilitation. A reason to support the Wounded Warrior Project.
My twenty minutes is nothing compared to a family searching fruitlessly for their pet who was displaced by Hurricane Sandy. The ASPCA is helping these pets; a reason to support the ASPCA.
A twenty minute conversation between a Nature Conservancy worker and an indigenous person can help solidify earth-healthy practices that can help generations to come. A reason to support the Nature Conservancy.
In twenty minutes, progress can be made toward helping a family have an affordable home of their own. A reason to support Habitat for Humanity.
In twenty minutes, one child who has never held a pencil — a pencil — could be handed the simplest of learning tools and start on a road to learning and empowerment. A reason to support Pencils of Promise.
In twenty minutes, I can safely walk in the dark or the light through my neighborhood. For Eline Oidvin, it may take twenty minutes or longer to line up a sighted guide to help her prepare for her marathon training (she is visually impaired). A reason to support Achilles International.
In twenty minutes, a health worker can visit a family in an area that would otherwise go unserved. A reason to support The Global Fund.
I’m going to walk or run for all of them (already did for Feeding America and the ASPCA) but would love your help in picking what to do next! Tell me which I should do first via this survey:
Click here to take survey
And PS – there’s a reason I didn’t put Autism Speaks in the survey. In full candor, of all the causes, it is my favorite. Hence it is getting my mile on my birthday (Wednesday, November 28). Read why it is so close to my heart here, here, here, and here.
Wife of one, Mom of two, Friend of many. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
Great article explaining and offering a way for others to get involved with Giving Tuesday! When we teach or educate others, our hearts grow deeper in the cause we are teaching others about. You are blessed with a gift. Don’t let the light dim!
Thank you, Rachal!!