"Black Friday," a label for the Friday following Thanksgiving, led to the moniker "Cyber Monday" for the peak on-line shopping day on the following Monday. In 2012, the next day of the calendar got a new name: Giving Tuesday (almost universally written as #GivingTuesday, complete with hashtag, reflecting its made for social media origins). This year, #GivingTuesday falls on December 2.
President and CEO of the UN Foundation, Kathy Calvin, said, "UN Foundation is proud to be a founding partner of #GivingTuesday, which was launched as an alternative to the widely-recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, to kick off the holiday giving season. In just three years, it has become one of the largest initiatives dedicated to giving back."
"#GivingTuesday is a true example of how businesses both large and small, charities, families, community centers and students around the world and at a local level are coming together to celebrate the spirit of giving and doing good," Calvin added.
"As an organization, our primary mission is to build public/private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives like #GivingTuesday, which brings together partners from various sectors, we are able to reach broader audiences and inspire people of all backgrounds to give back in a big way," Calvin continued.
"Now in its third year, #GivingTuesday is set to make its mark once again this holiday season by harnessing the power of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change in their communities," Calvin concluded.
On Tuesday, November 25 at 3:00 Eastern, Calvin will join me for a lvie discussion about #GivingTuesday. Tune in here then to watch the interview live.
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More about the United Nations Foundation:
The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by global corporations, foundations, governments, and individuals. For more information, visit www.unfoundation.org.
Calvin's bio:
Kathy Calvin is President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Nations Foundation. Her career has spanned work in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. She is a passionate advocate for multi-sector problem-solving, U.S. leadership on global issues, and the inclusion of women at all levels and in all sectors.
Kathy was named CEO by the UN Foundation Board in 2009 and President in 2013. In those roles, she leads one of the most innovative organizations advocating for the UN and the creation of public-private partnerships. Her leadership brings together the largest network of supporters of UN issues in the United States and a global network of corporate, civil society and media partners. The UN Foundation was created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner's historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes and activities. The UN Foundation advocates for the UN and connects people, ideas, and resources to help the United Nations solve global problems. As a public charity with many partners, the UN Foundation's work is focused on decreasing child mortality, empowering women and girls, creating a clean energy future, using mobile technology for development, and improving U.S.-UN relations.
In 2011, Kathy was named one of Newsweek’s “150 Women Who Rock the World,” and in 2012, she was listed in Fast Company’s “League of Extraordinary Women.” Her innovative work in the philanthropy and international NGO sector was featured by the New York Times in 2011. She has received numerous other awards for philanthropy and leadership.
Prior to joining the UN Foundation as Chief Operating Officer in 2003, Kathy served as President of theAOL Time Warner Foundation where she guided AOL Time Warner's philanthropic activities and was the chief architect of the company's corporate responsibility initiatives. She joined America Online in 1997 as Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, and was responsible for the company’s brand, social responsibility, and external relations.
Immediately prior to joining AOL, she was a Senior Managing Director at Hill and Knowlton, a global public relations company, where she led the U.S. Media Relations practice. For 12 years before that, she served as Director of Editorial Administration for U.S. News & World Report, overseeing budget, personnel, innovation and strategy. From 1976 through 1984, Kathy served as Senator Gary Hart's press secretary in his Senate office and his 1984 Presidential campaign. She was one of the first women to hold that title in American Presidential campaigns.
Throughout her career, Kathy Calvin has taken an active role in a range of philanthropic activities, including the boards of the International Women's Media Foundation, City Year, Internews, the Newseum, Share Our Strength, the United Nations Association of the United States of America, and the East-West Center. She is a frequent public speaker and commenter.
Kathy is a graduate of Purdue University (BS Speech Pathology/Audiology 1971).
