JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The social media movement #GivingTuesday, which was launched as a response to the consumerism that typically marks the start of the holiday season, will be back in full force Tuesday, and many Jacksonville organizations are getting involved.
The celebration highlights generosity and encourages philanthropy across the world in the wake of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
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To help make sure you aren't scammed while trying to help others, Attorney General Pam Bondi's office has the following reminders:
- Make sure you know how much of the donation will go toward the work of the charity as opposed to other expenses within the organization.
- Donate to a reputable charity, rather than waiting to be solicited.
- If you’re donating to a fundraising site, make sure you confirm the identity of who is receiving the money.
- Don’t give out bank account information over the phone to an unsolicited call or online to an unsolicited email.
There are also ways you can check a charity online, like using a site called charity navigator to make sure it is legitimate.
We've also compiled a list of organizations that have provided us information on ways the community can partner with them to celebrate the global day of giving.
For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit the #GivingTuesday website at www.givingtuesday.org, Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday or follow @GivingTues and the #GivingTuesday hashtag on social media.
Selfie could win $10K donation
The Florida Blue Foundation will donate $10,000 to the charities of five random winners across Florida who post a selfie and name their favorite charity and why they are grateful for that charity on their Facebook page through Nov. 30 using #FloridaGives.
In addition, Florida Blue will donate its volunteer time to the winning 501(c)(3) charities in the state.
All Floridians over the age of 18 can participate.
For those not on social media, they can join in at http://platform.votigo.com/fbcontests/profiletab/Florida-Gives.
Making kindness go viral
For #GivingTuesday, the Police Athletic League of Jacksonville, Inc., is encouraging others to join its #beaPALchallenge to make kindness go viral.
To complete the #beaPALchallenge, participants:
- perform a random act of kindness for someone,
- share that they have completed the challenge by posting "I'm a PAL" with the #beaPALchallenge,
- and encourage others to Be a PAL by joining the challenge.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and JaxPAL officers will be participating in the #beaPALchallenge from 8 a.m.- 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Keep an eye out for officers in your neighborhood lending a hand and paying it forward!
You can keep up to date with the kindness during the #beaPALchallenge by following JaxPAL on Instagram (@jax_pal), Twitter (@jax_pal) and Facebook (@JaxPAL)
Fill-A-Truck food drive
Suddath Relocation Systems in Jacksonville has partnered with Move For Hunger, a national nonprofit organization, and Native Sun for a Fill-A-Truck food drive on Giving Tuesday.
Collected items will be delivered to the Mandarin Food Bank in time for the holidays.
Residents in the community can donate unwanted non-perishable food items from their home or purchase extra items during their grocery shopping that day.
Food will be collected at Native Sun at 11030 Baymeadows Road in Jacksonville from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday.
For more information on the Suddath/Move For Hunger partnership, visit the Suddath Gives Back page.
FSCJ joins in
Students, faculty and staff from Florida State College at Jacksonville will blanket the community and volunteer at five local nonprofits on Nov. 28 to show #FSCJCares. FSCJ volunteers will lend their time and talents to Beaches Habitat for Humanity, Berry Good Farms, Celestial Farms, Salvation Army and Duval County Public Schools’ Teacher Supply Depot.
The college is also accepting donations to benefit FSCJ’s H.O.P.E. Food Pantry, Teacher Supply Depot and its newly launched Annual Fund.
To learn more about FSCJ’s #GivingTuesday efforts or to make a gift to the Annual Fund, visit fscj.edu/givingtuesday.
North Florida Land Trust seeks donations
North Florida Land Trust, which serves as a champion of environmental protection, is asking for donations to purchase land for preservation at the headwaters of the Guana River.
The property, located next to the McGarvey-Goelz Preserve, which the nonprofit land conservation organization has owned since 2004, was put up for sale for residential or multifamily development.
NFLT approached the realtor and negotiated a price of $400,000 to purchase the land for preservation.
The group has received commitments for $140,000, but still needs to raise $285,000 to acquire the land, manage it and make the improvements that would be needed for the public.
The land, located at 1105 A1A North, is a wetland parcel with 0.55 acres of uplands. It contains a mixture of live oak hammock and cabbage palm that is surrounded by freshwater wetlands of the Guana River. It is quality marsh habitat rich with wildlife, including roseate spoonbills, tricolored herons, great egrets, snowy egrets, white ibis and clapper rails. It is among the 112,346 acres in NFLT’s seven-county focus area that is deemed in critical need of preservation.
Donations for Giving Tuesday can be made at www.northfloridalandtrust.org/giving-tuesday. Donations can also be sent to North Florida Land Trust, 2038 Gilmore St., Jacksonville, FL 32204. For further information, contact Jim McCarthy at jmccarthy@northfloridalandtrust.org or call 904-479-1967.
Community Health Outreach needs new truck
Community Health Outreach started a GoFundMe for a new truck to pick up donations for its food pantry.
The truck is used to pick up anywhere from 8,000-12,000 pounds of food a week.
The organization could also use food donations, diapers, formula, maternity clothes and many more items.
For more on Community Health Outreach, visit the group's website: www.chojax.org.