By: Sue Wilson, Volunteer Leader and Board Member

Giving Tuesday started in 2012 as a social media movement to celebrate and encourage giving to charitable causes that serve the greater good, and a way to combat the consumerism that has overtaken the holiday season. It is celebrated the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, after Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Under the hashtag #GivingTuesday, it’s founders hope that people will be inspired by the spirit of the season to want to help those less fortunate. And the timing is perfect as so many people are making year-end charitable contributions for tax purposes.

This #GivingTuesday we hope you’ll join with the Red Cross and their #GiveWithMeaning program. This year is especially critical for the Red Cross as it comes after a year of record-breaking and devastating disasters, from hurricanes to wildfires to home fires that have left communities reeling and lives destroyed.

Here are some simple ways to donate to the Red Cross through Giving Tuesday:

Donate when shopping: If you shop online and use Amazon, register for their Amazon Smile Program. When first visiting AmazonSmile, customers are prompted to select a charitable organization from almost one million eligible organizations. For eligible purchases at AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the customer’s selected charitable organization. You can pick the charity of your choice from a list of hundreds. Simply search and select American Red Cross.

Donate money: Donations can help provide safe shelter, food, emergency relief supplies, emotional support and health services to people in need. To make a tax-deductible donation, visit redcross.org/gifts and choose from a variety of symbolic gifts that give back to the community, or call 1-800-RED CROSS to support Red Cross services.

Donate blood: The holidays are a hectic time with upcoming travel, family gatherings and festive events, yet hospital patients don’t get a holiday from needing lifesaving blood donations. To make an appointment to donate blood or platelets, visit redcrossblood.org.

Donate time: Volunteers are the backbone of the Red Cross and help respond to the needs of communities affected by disasters big and small. To learn more about becoming a volunteer, visit redcross.org.