Where I Am Donating on Giving Tuesday

Action always brings hope

I don’t know about you, but when I am feeling down and a little hopeless, finding causes to invest in helps me see my way through some of the gloom.

Today is Giving Tuesday and after being inundated with emails asking me to spend spend spend on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it feels good to give my hard-earned dollars somewhere they will make a difference.

I want to make it a little easier for you by sharing a few places I will be giving today.

1. Support the National Network of Abortion Funds

While we're still guessing what a second Trump term will look like for reproductive rights, we know that accessing abortion is already incredibly difficult in many states. Abortion funds are on the frontline providing direct assistance to women in need.

I’m raising money for the National Network of Abortion Funds. This organization comprises nearly 100 autonomous abortion funds. Your donations today will be matched, up to $10,000.

Donate here, via Oath.

2. Help Lift 335 Rwandan Families Out of Poverty

The writer and reporter Jill Filipovic is joining Judd Legum of Popular Information and Matt Ygelisas of Slow Boring to send ~$1,100 in cash directly to 335 families across two villages in Rwanda.

Last year, they were able to deliver $280K to families in Nyarutovu village. A cash influx that families can spend as they choose may go to things like housing, healthcare, schooling, food, transport, water pumps, and more.

You can donate here.

The GiveDirectly model is a cash transfer: Instead of running the funds through NGO programs or other intermediaries who decide where the money goes, the money goes directly to people who need it. For this fundraiser, 85 cents for every $1 of donations will be sent as a cash transfer to families in two Rwandan villages in the Nyabinyega region, who decide for themselves how it’s best spent (the other 15 cents is used to run GiveDirectly, including fraud protection, the cost of sending the transfers, and paying staff in Rwanda who provide customer service to recipients).

3. Help Teachers Help Students

We all know that teachers constantly spend their own money for school supplies to enhance their students’ learning experiences.

This spreadsheet from TIBAL of teacher wishlists let’s you search by state and read exactly what teachers need.

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I know we all got a little endorphin boost from this weekend’s shopping extravaganza, but the truth is that giving might just make you feel even better.

Research has consistently shown that giving to others, whether through monetary donations or volunteering time, creates a powerful "helper's high" - a feeling of joy and satisfaction that can last long after the act of giving itself. When people volunteer or donate, their brains release endorphins and oxytocin, creating positive feelings similar to those experienced after exercise.

Beyond the immediate chemical response, giving provides a sense of purpose and connection to community that can combat feelings of isolation and meaninglessness. This phenomenon, sometimes called the "warm glow effect," suggests that we are wired to find fulfillment through helping others, making generosity not just good for society but also for individual wellbeing.

Thanks for being here together, I really love this community. If you have ideas for other places to donate, please drop them in the comments!