For the third year in a row, Giving Tuesday is being celebrated at Grand Valley State University to highlight the importance of philanthropy.

Giving Tuesday is the non-profit sector’s answer to Cyber Monday and Black Friday. It’s a day where people are reminded that philanthropy isn’t always transactional, but instead giving of any kind.

The event started with about 1,000 non-profits. It’s continued to spread nationwide and even extended outside the country.

GVSU was a founding member of Giving Tuesday, and the Johnson Center for Philanthropy gave the initial push three years ago for it to be celebrated on campus. There will be a few different ways students can get involved.

One way is stopping by the Women’s Center on Dec. 2 and decorating a paper bag for Kids’ Food Basket. Children will receive lunches in the decorated bags. Another way is donating non-perishable food to the student food pantry at the Women’s Center.

Lastly, there will be white boards set up with information, and people can take a picture of themselves and talk about what matters to them on Giving Tuesday. Students are encouraged to post the picture with #GivingTuesday on social media sites with the prompt “I give back because…”

Leah Bekins, the director of annual giving for University Development, believes Giving Tuesday is an opportunity to spend some time looking at another aspect of the season.

“It’s an opportunity to spend some time looking at what we’re doing as a community and look at the impact and legacy we have with philanthropy,” she said. “What we’re doing this time of year, it’s an amazing time, everyone’s thinking about family and people and the communities and giving thanks.

“This Giving Tuesday initiative is important because it gives a purpose and timeframe around this kind of effort. Philanthropy can be a little tricky when asking someone to give of themselves and give a contribution.”

Bekins also believes that GVSU is a giving community and can make this Giving Tuesday successful.

“We feel that we’re Lakers and Lakers for a lifetime,” she said. “We’re part of this Grand Valley community, and this time of year is crazy with exams. It’s like this mad rush to the end of the semester, so this is a tie to pull back for a second and ground yourself and think what students want their impact and legacy to be.”

Bekins wants students to know that philanthropy isn’t only about monetary gifts; it can be giving back as volunteering, tutoring or simply dropping off cans of food.

“There’s so many ways that you can change someone’s mood, perspective and life in really simple ways, and that’s the beauty of Giving Tuesday,” she said. “For me, I think we talk a lot about giving like making sacrifices and giving money, but it’s more about the joy of helping someone else.

“It’s not that transaction. It’s not what you have to sacrifice to make a difference, it’s sharing the joy of the season and the community.” 

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