We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. This year help create #GivingTuesday™, the giving season’s opening day. On Tuesday November 27, 2012 charities, families, businesses, and individuals are coming together to transform the way people think about, talk about, and participate in the giving season.

It’s a simple idea. Find a way for your family, your community, your company, or your organization to join in acts of giving. Tell everyone you can about what you are doing and why it matters. Join a national celebration of our great tradition of generosity.

Giving Tuesday is an opportunity to come together and give of our time and money to the causes we care about. It’s a reminder that we can accomplish more together than any one of us can do alone. At The San Francisco Foundation, we believe in greater impact together. We are proud to serve a community of generous donors who partner with the Foundation year-round to support organizations meeting the community’s most important needs.

How will you celebrate #GivingTuesday?

Here are some of our top ideas:

1. Open a donor advised fund or give to your existing fund.
2. Recommend a grant to a nonprofit organization.
3. Make a gift to our Impact Funds to meet the community’s greatest needs.
4. Volunteer your time.
5. Promote giving by sharing this message with others.

There are so many reasons to give. We give because it feels good. Because we can. Because someone gave to us. Because we’re inspired and by giving, we inspire others. We give because it’s Giving Season, because it’s the best tradition of all.

When we give together, we create impact in the community that no one person, donation, or organization could do alone.