USA Today Bestselling Cozy Mystery Author

I Challenge You #GivingTuesday

Giving Tuesday means a lot to me this year. In this time of practicing gratitude, I think that one of the most important things we can do to actively practice our gratitude is to give to others. My parents taught me that, being incredibly generous my whole life. And I want to be that person. The person who gives generously, with no thought to my own welfare.

So this year, I’m challenging you to do something extra-ordinary for #GivingTuesday, which is coming up on December 2nd. After working in the non-profit world for a long time, I know that there are a lot of places out there that need your generosity. So this is my charge this year.

This year, for #GivingTuesday, I’m going shopping. Not for myself, though. For my local food bank. There are a lot of resources out there that can give you ideas about how to shop for your local food bank, I recommend just giving them a call and asking them what they need.

I’m going to make a shopping list, based on what they’ve told me they need, and I’m going shopping for someone else. I’m going to buy as much food as I can manage, and I’m going to get what they’ve asked for. I know there are some special things to consider when buying for your food bank (things like the fact that some people won’t have can-openers, may not have access to a stove, and may not have anything but water, and may have dietary restrictions like diabetes that prevent them from eating a lot of sugar or salt), and I want to be as considerate as I can.

And the more I think about it, the more I might make this part of my monthly routine. Not just for Giving Tuesday, but for every month. I have to do what I can do.

I want to challenge you to do something for Giving Tuesday. It doesn’t have to be what I’m doing, it can be whatever you want. But do something. Live for someone else for a day.