Forget #BlackFriday
#GivingTuesday reflects the true spirit of the season
Hello friends (and Happy Thanksgiving to my American family and friends),
Last week, I released Sift. Shift. Gift., the first annual holiday gift list from Sift. Shift. Lift. Today, I am posting a different kind of list in an effort to shift our collective focus away from the discounts and deals that mark Black Friday towards Giving Tuesday, a day when people throughout the world are urged to “do good stuff” like giving to their favourite charities.
This year, Giving Tuesday falls on November 30th. Over the past year, I’ve had the good fortune to talk to some incredible journalists, artists, musicians, and writers about the organizations they support—and why. If you’re wondering how you might direct your time or resources on Giving Tuesday or any other day, keep reading. I’ve posted links to the websites of 12 do-gooders we’ve lifted up at Sift. Shift. Lift. this past year.
Shelley
The Rainey Day Fund
Lifted up by Kelly McCartney
Founded in 2018 by Donald Cohen and Kelly McCartney, and named after Ma Rainey — the queer, Black “Mother of the Blues” — the Rainey Day Fund uplifts marginalized voices in Americana/roots music at key moments in their careers. Knowing how meaningful it is to be fully seen, Rainey Day looks at the identity issues that have so often held artists back and holds them up because of those identities. Though we feel it is our moral imperative to do this work, it is also our absolute honor. Some of our artists have gone on to land record deals, corporate endorsements, and Grammy nominations.
Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust
Lifted up by Natalia Zukerman
The Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust* (NEFOC LT) is a hybrid model land trust, bringing together a community land trust model and a conservation land trust model to reimagine land access as well as conservation and stewardship of communities and ecosystems with the goal of manifesting a community vision that uplifts global Indigenous, Black, and POC relationships with land, skills, and lifeways.
Eloheh: Indigenous Center for Earth Justice
Lifted up by Fran Westwood
“Eloheh” (pronounced Ay-luh-hay) is a Cherokee Indian word meaning harmony, wholeness, abundance and peace. Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice, which includes Eloheh Farm & Seeds, is a 501(c)3 non-profit under the auspices of Eloheh/Eagle’s Wings which began in 1999. To fulfill our mission to live in harmony with the land, using North American traditional Indigenous knowledge (TIK), wisdom and practices as a guiding model, we have created a center that embodies educating mind, soul, and body.
In Defense of Animals
Lifted up by Sarah Bowen
With your help, In Defense of Animals has become an international animal protection organization with over 250,000 valued supporters and a 38-year history of fighting for animals, people, and the environment. We accomplish our mission through education and campaigns, as well as sanctuaries and hands-on animal rescue facilities in India, Korea, and rural Mississippi. Our main headquarters are established in Marin County, California.
541 Eatery & Exchange
Lifted up by Scott Aasman
541 is a cafe that believes everyone deserves access to good food. We give people the opportunity to help someone else pay for their meal by "buying buttons.” Each button is worth $1, and anyone can use up to 5 buttons a day from the button jar to buy whatever they would like from the menu.
We believe there is dignity in choice, and that eating together fosters a diverse community of belonging around the table.
We use our space and proceeds from food sales to host free community groups and youth programming.
Indian Residential School Survivors’ Society
Lifted up by B.A. Lampman
The Indian Residential School Survivor Society (IRSSS) is a provincial organization with a twenty-year history of providing services to Indian Residential School Survivors.
The Indian Residential School Survivors Society began in 1994 as a working committee of the First Nations Summit. We were known as the Residential School Project, housed out of and as a part of the BC First Nations Summit. Our work was primarily to assist Survivors with the litigation process pertaining to Residential School abuses. In more recent years our work has expanded to include assisting the descendants of Survivors and implementing Community education measures (Indigenous & Non-Indigenous).
Bridges for Women
Lifted up by David Vest
Bridges inspires women affected by trauma, violence or abuse to reclaim their lives and build financial security through our healing, education and employment programs. Our services are open to all women (transgender and cisgender), non-binary, and two-spirit people who identify as a part of the women’s community and who have been impacted by violence or trauma at any time in their lives.
Cuvaj Se/Take Care
Lifted up by Heathen Derr
Take Care: an organization supporting writers in conflict zones and post-conflict zones, as well as populations in the United States affected by war and trauma.
Peace Trees Vietnam
Lifted up by Chúc Mỹ Tuệ
Our Mission is to address the legacy of war by removing dangerous explosives, returning land to safe use, promoting peace and cultivating a brighter future for the children and families of Vietnam.
Washington Area Humane Society
Lifted up by Rachel Gallaher
WAHS provides shelter, safety and food for the orphaned and abused animals of Washington County with the goal of placing them in loving homes.
Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction
Lifted up by Annabelle Chvostek
Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction (TIHR) emerged in April 2020 during the first wave of the COVID19 pandemic in response to a massive shutdown of frontline services and a lack of basic needs for Indigenous houseless folks in the city of Toronto. Over the past year, we have provided basic needs, access to critical health support & covid 19 testing, harm reduction supplies, sexual, reproductive health and prenatal support, traditional medicines, traditional food, expressive arts, and ceremony to some of our most vulnerable people.
Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences
Lifted up by Hollay Ghadery
Founded in 2009, Ontario Shores Foundation for Mental Health was created to raise funds, and support for Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores). Our goal is to help bring awareness to, and reduce the stigma, surrounding mental illness, and to create hope, for those struggling, through the combined efforts of our team, and the generous support of our donors and community.
So many amazing causes. I wish I could donate to all of them on a recurring basis.