The Giving Tuesday results are in: Americans are generous. Why?

Exactly one week ago today, Americans celebrated Giving Tuesday right after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. People donated an estimated, record-breaking $3.6 billion – a 16 percent increase over last year’s total.

I’m not surprised: generosity is a concept woven into the very fabric of our nation. Americans give because they want to help others. The desire to contribute and uplift others is at the root of both formal philanthropic initiatives and the informal ways Americans step up for their neighbors.

It goes well beyond a single day. Recent data found that charitable giving in the U.S. reached nearly $560 billion in 2023, up from the previous year. We’re giving more of our time too. The national volunteering rate jumped by five percentage points between 2021 and 2023. And all of this treasure and time is adding up to something greater than the sum of its individual parts.?

It’s the antidote to what ails us.

Polarization is at a high, trust in our institutions and in each other is declining, and the national narrative feels more divisive than any time in recent history. But amid the noise, there’s a quieter, more powerful force at work – Americans coming together to help each other. You see it in the figures above. And you see it in your day-to-day life.

It’s all around us. Even the idea of “giving” can be too limiting, calling to mind just financial donations. But the ways Americans give are as diverse as Americans themselves. Sure, we donate money, and we volunteer at local nonprofits. But we also coach the neighborhood youth t-ball team. We mow lawns, bake casseroles, and simply offer a helping hand.

This giving spirit is who we are as Americans. Alexis de Tocqueville, in his famous work “Democracy in America,” saw this as the fundamental spirit of our democracy. When Americans see a problem of any kind, he wrote, “they seek each other out; and when they have found each other, they unite. From then on, they are no longer isolated men, but a power one sees from afar, whose actions serve as an example.”

Whatever the help, the unifying, giving spirit of the American people reflects a belief that we are all in this together. By investing in one another, we invest in a better future for all. And there are many ways to contribute.

Donating Money

The continued growth of #GivingTuesday is a powerful example of people’s desire to help. It’s become a massive movement driven not by guilt or obligation, but by a genuine longing to contribute to the greater good. And people are seeking out additional ways to give year-round. More and more Americans are discovering ways to pool their donations to amplify their impact. Collective giving, also known as “giving circles,” has grown significantly in recent years. Last year alone, about 370,000 people participated in nearly 4,000 giving circles, supporting causes and organizations as diverse as the participants’ passions.

Buying Gifts & Goods

I’ve been encouraged to see the rise of social enterprises – often companies providing meaningful work to individuals facing social barriers. Stand Together Foundation publishes a ‘gifts that do good’ guide that recommends a variety of products that, when purchased, help transform the lives of those producing them. You can find everything from handcrafted gourmet snacks that help women build the job skills to achieve self-sufficiency to candles and essential oils made by survivors of trafficking, from baking kits that support empowering justice-involved youth to premium handbags crafted by women in addiction recovery.

Getting Directly Involved

Philanthropic giving, non-profit volunteering, and social enterprise purchases are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Americans’ generosity. Day-to-day acts of kindness — helping a neighbor, volunteering time, participating in community initiatives — demonstrate the pervasive, service-driven nature of the American spirit. And platforms such as Points of Light make it easy for people to do more, by finding causes and projects that alight with their interests and locations.

During this holiday season, I am challenging myself and all of us to reflect on who we are as Americans. And it’s defined in all the ways we help each other. Through this spirit of generosity, we will continue to build more resilient, empowered communities - not just during the holidays but all year round.