Giving Tuesday is Dec. 3, 2024 (Submitted photo)

NOVA SCOTIA: The cost of living crisis is affecting charities in many different ways, and they need support.

According to an October 2023 Ipsos Poll a quarter (24%) of Canadians expect they will need to access charitable services to meet their essential needs, such as food, clothing, or shelter, in the next six months.

While the 2023 CanadaHelps Giving Report states that 57% of charities are reporting that they are unable to meet current levels of demand.

Charities and nonprofits rely on the generosity of donors across a variety of industries:helping put food on the table, promoting art and culture, helping with daily living, and the environment. With donations down 30% compared to pre-pandemic levels, the struggle is being felt across the province.

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GivingTuesday – a global movement – will take place on Tuesday, November 28. The day comes after Black Friday and Cyber Monday across 90 countries, to celebrate and encourage generosity.

New this year from GivingTuesday Canada is a youth challenge called Its cool to be kind.

To kick off the holiday season, charities and nonprofits are asking Nova Scotians to spread kindness across their community.

There is a need for financial donations and volunteers to help meet the demand, and keep programs and services in place.

This holiday season, visit nsgives.ca to find a charity to support, or support your charity of choice.

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WHAT: GivingTuesday
WHEN: Tuesday, November 28 – all day!
WHO: Charities, Non-profits, Businesses and Individuals across the province

Here are some examples of how to spread kindness with some NS charities. Visit nsgives.ca to find more charities to support!

● Acadia Divinity College “Keep the Kettle On!”” Raising funds to support community hospitality times for students. The weekly tea-time and community lunches are vitally important times for students to connect with each other and the faculty and staff of the College.
● AfterWords Literary Festival Installing a Little Free Library, Halifax location TBD.
● Bide Awhile Animal Shelter Anonymous donor up to $5,000.
● Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Matching gift campaign.
● Catapult Leadership Society Asking 750 students to conduct random acts of
kindness throughout the day and province of Nova Scotia.
● Cathedral Church of All Saints Cathedral Church of All Saints Raising money to support local organizations on the frontlines.
● Chisholm Services for Children Goal of raising $2,800 on the 28th.
● Dartmouth Heritage Museum Raising $2,500 to purchase dehumidifiers for our
historic houses – Evergreen House and Quaker House.

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● Eastern Front Theatre Kicking off a month-long fundraising campaign to raise
$5,000 for our Early STAGES theatre festival.
● Eating Disorders Nova Scotia Thanking Mentors who give of themselves by
providing peer support.
● Health Services Foundation of the South Shore Raising funds for Area of
Greatest Need Fund, which allows the Foundation to provide funds for urgent
projects or equipment at South Shore Regional or Fishermen’s Memorial
Hospital.
● LAILO Farm Sanctuary Raising funds for farm animal rescue and rehoming
program. Will be featuring some of the past animals who were helped and
adopted out to loving homes.
● L’Arche Cape Breton The two stores, the Ark and the Hope Chest are giving
away cookies to all our customers on GivingTuesday.
● Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia Online donation with opportunity to
add a warm message – a Message of Kindness – that will be shared publicly on
ornaments on the tree at the Brewery Market in Halifax.

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● Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre Theriault Financial Incorporated (TFI) will match all donations up to $10K on GivingTuesday.
● Mind Your Plastic Will be announcing a matching donor.
● Mocean Dance Tidal Visions Holiday Campaign, with a goal to raise $10,000 to continue fostering a vibrant growing dance community in Halifax.
● Nova Scotia SPCA Are you team dog or team cat? Donate to help your animal team win. Your donation will be DOUBLED thanks to a devoted donor who is giving in loving memory of their fur-baby Tarko who left paw prints on their heart.
● QEII Foundation Announcing matching gift.
● rcs construction Will be filling the Halifax and Dartmouth Community Fridges with pantry, fridge, and freezer items, along with essential toiletries/items such as menstrual products, toothbrushes/toothpaste, soap, emergency blankets and
more.
● Ronald McDonald House Charities Atlantic Match from special donors for up to $10,000 from two special donors – Mariana Cowan & the Coldwell Banker Supercity Realty Team of NS, and Jennifer & Peter Jobe of NB, to raise funds
for two interactive play tables at our IWK and Moncton Hospital Family Rooms.

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● Souls Harbour Rescue Mission Plan to feed, as normal, 400-500 people. Will
host a Volunteer Christmas Party to acknowledge the amazing gift of time – over 35,000 hours this year already.
● The Growing Place Continuing to collect food bank items for Halifax Stuff a Bus.
● United Way of Colchester Doing a takeover of the @trurobuzz instagram page to highlight all of their funded agencies and reasons how donating to the United Way directly impacts the community.
● Upstream Music Association Special video for patrons.

NS Gives More is a collective and collaborative group of Nova Scotian charities and non-profits whose aim is to raise awareness of GivingTuesday, opportunities for giving back to your community, and highlighting the support Nova Scotians give to their community all year long.

The group is a community movement of GivingTuesday Canada.