Support local nonprofits on Giving Tuesday with the Straits Area Community Foundation

CHEBOYGAN COUNTY — On the heels of the upcoming popular shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, comes Giving Tuesday.

This year, Giving Tuesday is on Nov. 29. Locally, the Straits Area Community Foundation (SACF), in partnership with its lead foundation, Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan, is helping to raise awareness and support for local nonprofits through the Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan event.

“We look forward to Giving Tuesday every year. With its camaraderie, light-heartedness and the incredible support shown for our local nonprofits, it is such a positive and uplifting community event,” said Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan Executive Director Patrick Heraghty. “Last year over $365,000 was raised in 24 hours. There is never a way to know what each year will bring, but we hope the community will show up on Nov. 29 to make this year another successful year for the nonprofits in our area.”

This year marks the community foundation’s eighth year leading a local event in the Straits area. Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving meant to harness the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to celebrate generosity worldwide. The 24-hour giving event is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) to kick-off the holiday giving season. The hope is that people will set aside a few minutes from holiday shopping to give back to their community through the charities and causes they support.

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Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan begins at midnight on Nov. 29. The public will be able to make donations for a full 24 hours.
Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan begins at midnight on Nov. 29. The public will be able to make donations for a full 24 hours.

Straits Area organizations participating in the 2022 Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan event include:

  • Cheboygan County Humane Society

  • Mackinaw Area Historical Society

  • Mackinaw City Area Arts Council

  • Mackinaw Woman's Club

  • Straits Area Community Foundation Community Impact Grant Program

  • The Salvation Army – Cheboygan County

To help local nonprofits take part in Giving Tuesday, the Straits Area Community Foundation will provide the technical infrastructure through its website and social media to showcase and manage donations, all at no cost to the participating organizations. One hundred percent of every donation will go to the nonprofit of the donors’ choice. Donors can visit sacf.net on Giving Tuesday and make donations to any, some, or all of these nonprofits.

Heraghty also noted that in addition to the participating organizations, donors may also make donations to any of the charitable funds held by the Straits Area Community Foundation as a Giving Tuesday gift.

“While we have many organizations participating in the campaign, SACF also holds over 40 different charitable funds that support many different causes, organizations and scholarships,” said Heraghty. “Donations to those funds will be counted on Nov. 29 as Giving Tuesday gifts as well.”

Grant, the Giving Tuesday Golden Goose, has been used by the Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan to try to get some competition between nonprofits to raise the most donations during Giving Tuesday.
Grant, the Giving Tuesday Golden Goose, has been used by the Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan to try to get some competition between nonprofits to raise the most donations during Giving Tuesday.

Five years ago, Grant the Giving Tuesday Golden Goose was introduced as a fun way to bolster some friendly competition between nonprofits. Grant is awarded to the nonprofit raising the most money on Giving Tuesday and went last year to the Alpena Community College Foundation. After spending nearly a year at Alpena Community College, Grant has migrated back to the community foundation to await word on his 2022-23 residency.

Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan begins at midnight on Nov. 29. The public will be able to make donations for a full 24 hours, and monitor the total amount donated online throughout the day. The total amount donated to each organization will be announced at an online live event after Giving Tuesday.

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Support local nonprofits on Giving Tuesday with the Straits Area Community Foundation