Put The Pause On The Shop-Shop, Today Is #GivingTuesday

We all know about "Black Friday," and "Cyber Monday."

But more important, today is "Giving Tuesday." Instead of shopping for holiday presents, today charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

It's not about how much you give. It's about the act of giving and celebrating that.

I'm sure many of you have your organizations of choice where you like to drop your donation dollars.

To help out today, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite charities to consider either today or this holiday season to help those who help others. Feel free to click on the links below to explore new possibilities for your Giving Tuesday.

• As I mention often here on The Randy Report, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is and has been near and dear to my heart for over 20+ years. BC/EFA is the premier Broadway organization to help those affected by HIV/AIDS, and I always like to point up the great work they do.

• The Ali Forney Center in NYC is the nation's largest and most comprehensive shelter and services provider for homeless LGBT youth. Once homeless, they face higher incidences of violence, HIV infection, mental health issues and suicidal thoughts. In a single year, The Ali Forney Center connects with over 1,400 LGBT youth and serves over 150,000 meals to those who find themselves homeless. Medical and mental healthcare, career and educational counseling, job placement and training services are just a short list of important services provided. Click here to donate to their current crowd-funding campaign.

• Dogs rule at The Randy Report, and so it's a no-brainer to make sure The Humane Society of the United States gets my shout out. You all know the impact HSUS makes on so many. The HSUS is the nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization. Become a Humane Hero and consider donating to the HSUS here.

• It is incredible to me that in the greatest country in the world, people can go hungry.  Feeding America works to end that deficit. Their mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. And Feeding America is highly rated by the Better Business Bureau and Charity Navigator.

You can't go wrong with any of the organizations listed above. OR, if you have a charity close you already, I'm asking that you make some donation - any donation large or small - today and celebrate the true spirit of the holiday season.

Thanks for reading.

Forward.