
#GivingTuesdaySG, Singapore’s new national day of giving
Last week, through my day job (yup, I still work — blogging certainly doesn’t pay the bills), I had the enormous pleasure of helping to launch a new social media campaign called #GivingTuesdaySG. And I want every single one of you reading this to join us in this amazing charitable initiative. In a nutshell #GivingTuesdaySG is a social media driven movement to make 3 December 2013 our new national day of giving here in Singapore.
How do we do that? By doing something, or pledging to do something charitable, on 3 December. And sharing your acts of kindness or promise on your own social media channels (like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc), tagging your message with #GivingTuesdaySG. What you do or promise is entirely up to you. This is a totally open source campaign, which makes it easy-peasy to take part in.
If you want your participation noted, you can head to the #GivingTuesdaySG website and register your support. The form is simple and it takes all of 5 minutes. Further, if you can convince your company to take part, through running a charitable campaign that culminates or kicks off on 3 December, it should also register on the website. That way, the folks driving the #GivingTuesdaySG marketing and communications programmes can help spread word of your company’s participation. Similarly, if you happen to work at a not for profit organisation, you should definitely convince them to take part. #GivingTuesdaySG is a proven way to help even the smallest nonprofits to increase donorship and volunteer sign-ups through the power of the overall movement.
I’m giving this shout out partly because the organisation I am working for is one of #GivingTuesdaySG’s founding partners, but also because I have agreed to help out as a social media ambassador. In addition to myself, there are 9 other incredible (and much more popular) peeps helping to spread the word, including the King of selfies, Member of Parliament Baey Yam Keng (pictured here), Hossan Leong, KF Seetoh and Irene Ang. But truthfully, anyone can be a social media ambassador of #GivingTuesdaySG. All you have to do is sign up on the website and promise to help publicise the campaign via your digital channels. In fact, I’m going to outright ask any of you that run blogs or have Instagram or Twitter feeds with large followings to please join us in calling for participation in this all-inclusive open source charity campaign.
#GivingTuesday was started in the USA last year, by the 92nd St Y and the United Nations Foundation. They, along with 18 founding partners, hoped to bring together 200 companies and nonprofit organisations (NPOs) to champion a new national day of giving via social media. In the 2 months leading up to #GivingTuesday, they were joined by over 2,500 NPOs and companies. 50 million internet users talked about #GivingTuesday via their social networks. Big time intellectuals like Bill Gates and Barack Obama, along with a gaggle of rock stars and Hollywood actors, endorsed the campaign. And US$10 million was raised by participating charities on that single day — a 53% increase in donations compared to the same day in the previous year.
#GivingTuesday has now gone global. It has launched in Australia, Canada, Mexico and now Singapore. It is the perfect open source charity campaign through which you can kickstart the holiday and giving season in the best, most meaningful way possible. So, please take part.
Please visit the website at http://givingtuesday.sg, like the Facebook page at http://facebook.com/GivingTuesdaySG and follow the Twitter feed @GivingTuesSG.
About Aun Koh
Aun has always loved food and travel, passions passed down to him from his parents. This foundation, plus a background in media, pushed him to start Chubby Hubby in 2005. He loves that this site allows him to write about the things he adores--food, style, travel, his wife and his three kids!




