Area nonprofits participate in Giving Tuesday

CHARLOTTESVILLE, V.A. (WVIR) - With Black Friday and Cyber Money behind us, the focus now is on giving back. People took part in Giving Tuesday, and that's the focus of the celebration underway in Charlottesville.

Supporters of the Building Goodness Foundation capped off a day of donations. The nonprofit is just one of many that raise money on Giving Tuesday.

"This is a very exciting and important day for us Giving Tuesday for all nonprofits in town and in America,” Sophie Parson, with the Building Goodness Foundation, said.

The Building Goodness Foundation connects skilled construction volunteers with communities in need here in the United States and internationally.

"Most people know us for our international work in Haiti, Liberia, and Guatemala but actually our mission starts right here in central Virginia where we serve about 8,000 people every year,” Parson said.

Its goal this Giving Tuesday is to raise $10,000 for corporate sponsors to match.

"In the pipes for 2020, we’re going to design and build Kindness Café that Charlottesville people have been following. We’re going to build four playscapes with our partner Wildrock and we have exciting projects internationally too with two schools in Guatemala and Haiti,” Parson said.

The Leadership Charlottesville Alumni Association (LCAA) is giving back by bell ringing for the Salvation Army.

"These are just really great community organizations that serve the needy in a time of year where we all want to experience the bounty of the giving season,” Carolyn Saint, co-chair of the LCAA, said. “It’s a big hashtag movement so sort of the generosity activism but I think it’s important not to just give dollars but time so standing out here in a slightly cold day ringing the bell it really helps you connect to the reason for the season.”

The Albemarle Housing Improvement Program (AHIP) is using Giving Tuesday to raise $100,000 to reach their $300,000 end of year goal.

"Anyone who makes a donation to AHIP of $25 or more will be entered to win a 10 person meal from the bel air market,” Jennifer Jacobs, with AHIP, said.

The giving doesn’t stop here. AHIP is asking the community to purchase tickets to ‘Sunshine of My Life’ performance at the Jefferson Theater on Thursday night where part of the proceeds will benefit AHIP.

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