Anne Van Vleck
HYANNIS – Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday have passed and now charitable organizations and non-profits are looking for help from their communities today on Giving Tuesday.
The international initiative kicks off the charitable season and asks for individuals to take a break from shopping and focus on end-of-year giving.
Giving Tuesday’s origins date back to 2012 in New York City when the YMCA on 92nd Street partnered with the United Nations Foundation.
Housing Assistance Corporation Development Director Anne Van Vleck says local residents have a responsibility to help local non-profits to build a strong, healthy and diverse Cape Cod.
“Giving Tuesday really gives people opportunities to give back and mostly to give back to their local communities where everyone is really working hard to keep Cape Cod the great community and place and region that it is,” Van Vleck said.
Housing Assistance Corporation works to ensure everyone on the Cape and Islands has a safe and stable place to live. The organization operates four homeless shelters, develops affordable housing, conducts foreclosure counseling and holds educational workshops for first-time homebuyers.
“It is a time to pause and reflect,” Van Vleck said. “Not everyone is going to have the abundant Christmas or that warm, cozy fire that so many of us are so fortunate to have.”
Van Vleck said Giving Tuesday does give people an opportunity to help so many who are less fortunate and in need across Cape Cod.
HAC provides services for over 5,000 people on the Cape and Islands every year, the majority of which are children. The organization also helps seniors stay in their homes.
HAC focuses on preventing homelessness through outreach programs and shelters.
“We work on stabilizing families, how we can help mentor our clients and help them get back on their feet,” Van Vleck said. “The empowerment piece is my favorite – really helping people become self-sufficient in their lives and really able to live the lives that they want on the Cape.”
Mike DeFina, the media relations officer for the Animal Rescue League of Boston, which operates an animal care and adoption facility in Brewster, said Giving Tuesday is a nice reminder for people to give back to their favorite charities.
“This is the money that helps us do what we do,” DeFina said. “It’s vitally important and it’s one of those gifts that can just be a feel good thing for anybody who decides to donate.”
The ARL has had a presence on Cape Cod for nearly a century and has operated the Brewster shelter since 1967.
“We’ve been really embedded in the community,” DeFina said.
The non-profit provides veterinary care, adoption, and rescue services, while also confronting the root causes of animal cruelty and neglect through community programs, police investigations and public advocacy.
Last year, the ARL served more than 18,000 animals throughout the state.
The ARL is offering a dollar for dollar donation match up for Giving Tuesday up to $100,000. The matching donations will be made by former and current organization board members and the current president.
“It’s really a great opportunity to have double the impact and to help twice as many animals in need,” DeFina said.
The ARL does not receive government grants or public funding and relies solely on the generosity of individuals to support the organization’s programs and services.
The organization will also give donors an inside look at its operations on Giving Tuesday with five segements throughout the day on its Facebook page.
“The easiest way to donate is to simply go to arlboston.org to read more about the organization and to donate directly,” DeFina said.
Donations to HAC can be made at haconcapecod.org.
By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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