Widow Care, a nonprofit organization founded by Long & Foster’s Eric Stewart in Montgomery County, Md., is pledging to make a big difference this holiday season. The organization, which supports widowed individuals and their families, is celebrating Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2, harnessing the collective power of its partners, including charities, families, businesses and individuals, to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season.
Giving Tuesday – or #GivingTuesday in the social media world – will use the power of social media to create a national moment and discussion around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become synonymous with holiday shopping.
In joining the Giving Tuesday event, Widow Care aims to share the stories of widowed men and women with the broader community and raise funds for three initiatives. Those initiatives include a Christmas fund for widows and widowers in Montgomery County, educational workshops and an online resource center for widows and widowers, and sponsorship for volunteer teams to provide practical pro bono help to widowed individuals and their families.
“Say ‘I care’ on #GivingTuesday by giving to Widow Care,” said Kristin Hoover, executive director of the organization. “This #GivingTuesday, you can show compassion to an individual in Montgomery County suffering the loss of their spouse.”
This year, more than 10,000 organizations will join in on the new tradition of Giving Tuesday, which began with the 92nd Street Y, gained steam with additional founding partners, and is supported by the United Nations Foundation.
“#GivingTuesday is a counter narrative to Black Friday and Cyber Monday because it reminds us that the spirit of the holiday giving season should be about community and not just consumerism,” said Kathy Calvin, CEO of the UN Foundation. “The most meaningful gift we can give our children, loved ones, friends and neighbors is the commitment to work together and help build a better world.”
Those who are interested in supporting Widow Care’s Giving Tuesday initiative can visit http://www.razoo.com/story/givingtuesday-2144?referral_code=share. To learn more about Widow Care, visit http://widowcare.org.