December Is a Time of Giving



	December Is a Time of Giving Brandon Sun “Small World” Column, Monday, December 2 / 24 Zack Gross Tomorrow, Dec. 3, is known as Giving Tuesday, a celebration of generosity and kindness, that was established in 2012. This important day happens the first Tuesday of every December in over 80 countries around the world. It is one manifestation of the annual effort by people of good will to do the right thing as the holiday season approaches and support charities of all sorts that help people and the planet. In our country, CanadaHelps is a national organization through which Canadians can donate funds that go straight to their designated charity. If I want to support World Vision or the Red Cross or a local food bank or any other registered charity, I can donate online through CanadaHelps and, especially on Giving Tuesday, an extra amount may be added to that donation. To date, since its inception, over five million Canadians have donated some $3 billion via CanadaHelps. Thus, as is often the case with my December columns, I want to encourage our better selves to contribute however we can to good causes that make a positive and practical difference in our troubled world. Donations are one way. Consider what our world would look like without food banks, shelters, community sports facilities, arts organizations, international development groups and all the others who selflessly work to provide hampers, safe spaces, recreation programs, music and art, aid for the global poor, support for the elderly, and so on. The gift of your time and energy are just as necessary as cash. Sitting on community boards, serving up meals to the hungry, visiting those in hospital or seniors homes, coaching youth – just as raising funds has become more difficult in recent years, so has finding volunteers. The pandemic has been one major cause of these struggles. Canadian statistics show that over the course of our COVID experience, a quarter of charities noticed a significant decline in their volunteer numbers, while US sources claimed over 7% fewer volunteer hours being logged in their country. Many social critics would say that social media, the Trump phenomenon, the wars that have sprung up in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, the decline of democracy, and other factors have led us to an age of cynicism, conspiracy theories and selfishness. There is some truth in that. Award-winning academics and journalists, such as Anne Applebaum and Carol Off, both of whom have recently published best-selling books on our current era, write about these issues and urge us to find ways to end the polarization in our society and to fight against what appears to be a concerted effort by authoritarian regimes to destabilize our way of life. But, to be kind and generous doesn’t necessarily mean confronting these macro-issues, that is the big picture. We also need to look at the micro, that is, to do the little things every day to support our planet and its people. On Earth Day in April, or anytime, walk down your street or road and pick up the garbage and recycling that has accumulated. When it snows, check if your elderly or infirm neighbour needs a hand with shoveling, or in the summer, with gardening. These can be set up in the form of birthday or holiday gifts with friends and family, creating a gift card that pledges so many hours of labour. As I’ve described in some of my columns during the pandemic, my wife and I walk around our neighbourhood every day and, unofficially, have made it our mission to check on people, chat with folks and offer support where we can. We have found that we get as good as we give. One man lost his wife in a sudden, tragic accident and our company in his loneliness may have made a difference. Others, living alone, or finding themselves declining in ability as they age, enjoy our company and we enjoy hearing their stories. But, when a family emergency arose for us, those same neighbours showed up to offer tangible support. There is much yet to be done. At the Marquis Project in Brandon, we raise funds to support under-privileged women in Africa by offering training in sewing and in farming so that they can earn money to feed their families through their small businesses or plots of land. We also promote fair trade, a system that ensures that producers in poor countries can earn an adequate living and take proper care of their land. Still, many people overseas and here at home are left behind and that is something we can address through our generosity in December every year, and year round. Zack Gross is Board Chair of The Marquis Project, a Brandon-based international development organization, and co-author of the new book The Fair Trade Handbook: Building a Better World, Together. * * * * * Return to Articles page