MISSOULA - We're talking about donating to charity on this Giving Tuesday.
The global movement has inspired millions of people to give back and celebrate generosity over the last 10 years. The numbers show that last year 35 million people participated in Giving Tuesday and $2.7 billion was donated in the US alone.
MTN News talked with a local non-profit and one of Montana's largest companies about why Giving Tuesday is so important to them.
“Giving Tuesday, it's important for us because all of the funds that we get through this campaign helped to provide all of the services that we provide,” noted Poverello Center Director of Development Stephanie Dolan.
A season of generosity is kicked off by Giving Tuesday with people coming together to help our community.
“Over the past year we've served 90,000 meals, we have been seeing numbers unlike we've seen in the past two years that we were open,” Dolan said. “We are serving you double the amount of people that we normally serve.”
Warm meals and shelter for those experiencing homelessness are a prevalent need in Missoula, especially during the colder months. The Poverello Center is one group aiding in that need.
“We just encourage everyone, ya know, to be Montanans caring for Montanans and helping our neighbors,” said Town Pump Charitable Foundation Director Bill McGladdery.
Montana-founded and based business Town Pump is matching donations to up to $25,000 for non-profits across the state and the Poverello Center is one of the organizations that’s part of the campaign.
“There are so many needs across the state. Particularly when it comes to what we consider to be basic needs, so food and shelter,” McGladdery told MTN News.
Although Giving Tuesday is a way for people to give unrestricted funds to their favorite community partners, people can give year around.
There are over 240 staffed nonprofits in Missoula and the community donations make a big difference for our nonprofits.
“Unbelieve all the, you know, the amount of support that we're getting from the community to provide services for, you know, really the most vulnerable populations here in Missoula,” Dolan said.
