The countdown has begun, 12 days until #GivingTuesday!

Occurring annually, #GivingTuesday falls on November 27th this year. If you’ve never heard of it before, it’s literally a day devoted to giving. According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are over 1.5 million charities within the United States alone.If you want to get involved but don’t have a preferred charity, consider supporting an organization that is near and dear to our team members’ hearts. Over the next week, leading up to #GivingTuesday, we’ll be spotlighting our charities of choice on our Facebook page, but we also wanted to share on our blog. Join us in celebrating #GivingTuesday and consider donating to one of our personal favorite charitable organizations.

Melinda – Arthritis Foundation and Mainstay Life Services

“First and foremost, we truly believe in the missions of our clients. Two of our clients are actually nonprofit organizations –
Arthritis Foundation and Mainstay Life Services. I so enjoy the work we do with them and it is incredible to see the difference they make in our communities.”

Annie – Parkinson’s Foundation

“The Parkinson’s Foundation is near and dear to my heart. Since my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, we have seen how much it not only changes his life, but those around him. We called upon the Foundation for support and they were eager to share information with us and provide a support system for not only my father, but my mother as well.”

Brianna – Susan G. Komen

“I chose to support the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by participating in the annual “Race for the Cure 5K” after my mother-in-law, Gina, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. Gina is now cancer-free, which allowed us to walk together to support and honor the women and men who suffer from breast cancer each year. Please consider donating to this charity, or participating in a local race near you.”

Nikki – Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

“When my son was only about two weeks old, he was admitted to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for several days and after seeing firsthand how they treated him with such amazing care, it’s now an organization that is dear to my heart. My family donates a few times a year so they can continue raising the bar in terms of best-in-class care, which I’m lucky to say my little guy received.”

Jackie – American Cancer Society

“A charity that touches my family personally is the American Cancer Society. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and we are grateful for the American Cancer Society because there were times that they helped my mom out with finances for medicines and treatment. Four surgeries and five years of medication later, my mom is cancer free; however, she will not be considered a survivor until the year 2024. We will always support the charity and donate to it every year. It’s important for women (and men) to get checked frequently and it’s very comforting to have a charity like the American Cancer Society backing you up when a loved one is affected.”

Natalie – Alzheimer’s Association

“In college, my sorority’s designated charity was the Alzheimer’s Association. I had no idea how much that charity would come to affect my life and the lives of so many around me. Worldwide, at least 50 million people are living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In fact, every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops the disease. Please consider participating in your local Walk to End Alzheimer’s or donating to help advance Alzheimer’s and dementia science.”

We are excited to encourage others to participate in #GivingTuesday this year and spread awareness of this important day. If budgets are tight this year, there are so many different ways to get involved and support charities, such as volunteering your time, participating in local fundraising walks/races and even wearing certain colors to spread awareness of a cause. We hope whatever you choose to give this #GivingTuesday, you will remember the charities that mean so much to us.

If you’d like to learn more, please visit givingtuesday.org.