By Katherine Sciortino, SYRACUSE, NY (NCC News) – The post-Thanksgiving season is full of preparing for holiday gift-giving. Following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving is known as Giving Tuesday.
Giving Tuesday, which is typically known as #GivingTuesday, started in 2012, and last year raised 274 million dollars. Today, All across the country organizations are asking for donations
In Syracuse, New York, the Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment, also known as RISE, is looking to raise $25,000 this Giving Tuesday. RISE is an organization that helps build confidence and self-sufficiency in refugees and immigrants that come to Syracuse through various programs and resources.
Nataly Karimi, an Americorps Vista at RISE, is in charge of all the grantmaking, fundraising, and volunteer and donation management. Karimi said that they would not be where they are today without the donations and recognition they receive on Giving Tuesday.
“In this time donations really help keep us afloat, Karimi said. “We have a van that was donated, we have a second satellite office in the Northside that was given based off of donations, and we really thrive off of donations, but I also think giving Tuesday is a way to let people know more about RISE and to give people a platform to learn more about the different programs we offer.”
RISE offers a variety of programs, from SyRaPP, which teaches new Americans how to farm, to their Youth Education Initiative, an after-school program for kids.
The money they will raise today will be divided into all of their programs, but Karimi says that a large portion of it will go to their Youth Education Initiative program.RISE hosts kids for four days a week. They provide healthy snacks and an occasional fun field trip.
“Having tangible donations help make us have more fun activities, more creative activities, creative snacks that aren’t just granola bars, being a little more fancy, and providing the students with the best,” Karimi said.
For Americans, the post-thanksgiving season is full of preparing for holiday gift-giving. Consumers spend their time in stores on Black Friday, and on their computer for Cyber Monday. But today’s a little different. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is known as Giving Tuesday, it encourages those in the giving spirit to donate to their favorite social causes.
In Syracuse, New York, the Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment, also known as RISE, is looking to raise $25,000 this Giving Tuesday. RISE is an organization that helps build confidence and self-sufficiency in refugees and immigrants that come to Syracuse through various programs and resources.
Nataly Karimi, an Americorps Vista at RISE, is in charge of all the grantmaking, fundraising, and volunteer and donation management. Karimi says that they would not be where they are today without the donations and recognition they receive on Giving Tuesday.
In this time donations really help keep us afloat. We have a van that was donated, we have a second satellite office in the Northside that was given based off of donations, and we really thrive off of donations, but I also think giving Tuesday is a way to let people know more about RISE and to give people a platform to learn more about the different programs we offer.
RISE offers a variety of programs, from SyRaPP, which teaches new Americans how to farm, to their youth education initiative, an after-school program for kids.
The money they will raise today will be divided into all of their programs, but Karimi says that a large portion of it will go to their youth education initiative program.
the fact that we have four days a week we cater to students and we try to give them healthy snacks, we try to take them to fun field trips, we try to plan fun activities, having tangible donations help make us have more fun activities, more creative activities, creative snacks that aren’t just granola bars, being a little more fancy, and providing the students with the best.
RISE is looking for donations online at syracuserise.org/donate. In Syracuse, New York, I’m Katie Sciortino for NCC News.
