For me, the month of November is always a bit nostalgic.  It’s hard to think about Thanksgiving and not think about the many Thanksgivings that helped create the traditions our family now holds so dear.  The idea that on the fourth Thursday in November we would spend a day with family and friends, savoring traditional dishes and family specialties that were often only prepared once or twice per year.  Enjoying the fact that kids would be able to listen in on the adults’ conversations and that adults would share in playing board or card games with children.  It easily is my favorite time of year!

But it seems in recent years that Thanksgiving has become commercialized with the advent of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.  In fact, I remember a niece who would spend Thanksgiving with us, planning her method of attack for Black Friday shopping by looking through newspaper circulars following the Thanksgiving meal.  While I’m not opposed to shopping, the idea of a day of giving, following a day of thanks, was refreshing to say the least.

Established in 2012 by the 92nd St. Y and the United Nations Foundation, #GivingTuesday was an organized response to the commercialization and consumerism that was associated with a day of giving thanks.  Since its inception more than $358.4 million* has been raised for U.S. nonprofits and for non-governmental organizations in 68 other countries. November 28 will be #GivingTuesday.  And it will be your opportunity to support nonprofit organizations that work 365 days per year to make our communities more livable.

I’d like to encourage you to consider a gift to the National Civil Rights Museum.  Your contribution allows us to continue to chronicle key episodes of the American civil rights movement, examine today’s global civil and human rights issues, provoke thoughtful debate and serve as a catalyst for positive social change.  As an institution with a primary goal of educating and informing, every dollar you contribute supports our ability to connect the past with the present.

Please return the “giving” to Thanksgiving and make a tax-deductible gift to the National Civil Rights Museum.  

*According to money moved by Blackbaud, Donor Perfect, Global Giving, Network for Good and Razoo