(Memphis) After Black Friday and Cyber Monday comes Giving Tuesday.
The occasion is a grass-roots effort new this year, encouraging everyone to give back on Tuesday.
Several Memphis charities are hoping to capitalize on the need in the Mid-South.
“For most of these folks this will be the only Christmas gift that they receive. We help the widow or widower that doesn’t have any children in the area or no children at all. They are alone at Christmas and then we will help families with 4, 5,6 kids,” said Michael Allen with Catholic Charities of West Tennessee.
Catholic Charities is hoping to provide 1300 gifts to at-risk children and seniors.
“In particular this year we’d love to get bicycles, ideally with helmets but either way. We also need unwrapped clothes, unwrapped toys, non-perishable food, gift cards from anywhere,” said Allen.
Girls Inc. is also looking for donations to provide gifts for 400 girls.
“We like to give every one of the girls a gift bag that has special gifts just for them, so we are collecting gifts for different age groups,” said Deborah Hester Harrison from Girls Inc.
The hope is the day will catch on and have the same attraction of a Cyber Monday. But most organizations are encouraging giving all throughout the holiday season and the year.
“We can always use help, we can use volunteers and we can use mentors. We’re always looking for mentors,” added Harrison.
You can give to Girls Inc. online at http://www.girlsincmemphis.org/ and to Catholic Charities at http://www.ccwtn.org/ .
