Giving Tuesday

In honor of Giving Tuesday (December 2nd), I have decided to write a blog post about ways to give back globally and locally and how PlugOut gives back year-round. People talk about Black Friday and Cyber Monday like they are actual holidays - something to mark on your calendar. What about Giving Tuesday? Yes, it is fairly new (this is the 4th one), but I don't hear people talking about it very often. I hope to see this change in the years to come. Giving Tuesday is an annual online campaign that encourages people to give to charities worldwide.
I like the idea of helping on a local level as well as a global level. When it comes down to it, you have to decide what causes or organizations are near and dear to your heart.

Ways to give back

• Donate to a global organization of your choice. There are websites such as Global Giving that feature a charity navigation tool to help people find a charity worldwide. 
• Habitat for Humanity  has a global village project that builds houses for people around the world. They use the donations that they get for supplies and to send volunteers to build houses in locations around the world. 
• As for local charities, I would suggest doing some research on what charities are of interest to you in your community. I appreciate the importance of the Hospice program and they are available in most communities. They have many levels of volunteer opportunities.

Here at PlugOut we give back year-round.

• 1% for the Planet - We give 1% of all of our sales to the 1% for the Planet organization. We are aligned with other like-minded businesses, and the money raised goes to keeping the planet healthy. The money is dispersed to thousands of nonprofit organizations who are working to protect the environment worldwide.
• COTS - Committee on the Shelterless in Petaluma, Ca., provides food and shelter for the homeless. COTS has programs that are designed to break the cycle of homelessness once and for all. Members of the PlugOut team deliver food year round to people in the community who are in need. 

-Gilly Hegenbart