During Holiday Shopping Season, Don't Forget ‘Giving Tuesday'

After the shopping frenzy, comes giving Tuesday.

The days following Thanksgiving are all about shopping, but Tuesday, Dec. 3rd will be a day focused on giving.

The United Nations Foundation and 92nd Street Y launched the global movement known as Giving Tuesday last year.

"[It's a day] to remind everyone about the importance of giving back," said Ernesto Arguello, Giving Tuesday spokesperson for the United Nations Foundation.

Giving Tuesday isn't only about giving donations, it's a day to give back in any way you can.

"Do something for others for a change, whether it's your local charity, whether it's just your effort and your time," Arguello said.

Local philanthropist Ernesto Arguello joined the global movement after partnering with the United Nations on his own project that also helps others.

Arguello's project is Snap2Live, a fashion belt and initiative aimed at raising awareness about road safety.

"Road crashes are the number 1 killer of youth in the world, so I knew I had to do something and I created Snap2Live," Arguello said.

Arguello designed a fashion belt that looks like a seat belt to serve as a visual reminder of the lives that can be saved just by buckling up, not drinking and driving, and not texting and driving.

"The goal of the UN is to save 5 million lives by 2020," Arguello said.

Both Snap2Live and Giving Tuesday have become popular on social media and in local schools, like Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart.

"I decided to make a club basically to raise awareness about safety and it really applies to my generation because everyone is getting their permit now," said Carla Arguello, a student at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart.

All it takes is the initiative to give back.

"At Carrollton we educate our students to a social awareness which impels to action and by giving back they are living out this piece of the Sacred Heart mission," said Erica Ramirez, Community Service Coordinator at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart.

Since Giving Tuesday is all about being unselfish, the movement encourages everyone to take UNselfie pictures on December 3rd. Many people have already posted pictures of random acts of kindess on popular social media websites.

"They love selfies, and I'm sure they'll definitely participate in the hashtag unselfie initiative by the UN," Ramirez said.

To learn more about Giving Tuesday click here. (givingtuesday.org) To learn more about Snap2Live click here.

More on NBC6.com:

Contact Us