It has a hashtag, a website, and it’s a global movement.

“Giving Tuesday is about being engaged, and that can be giving time treasure and talent — so it can be a donation but it’s also time,” said Brenda Boyes from the Peterborough Area Fundraising Network.

Boyes says the movement began in 2012, and it just keeps on growing worldwide with over 150 countries and more than 600 organizations participating last year.

“One of the things I’m going to do today is give blood, and when I was looking at their website they also work with stem cell donations, and they work with live organ donations.”

At Peterborough’s Habitat for Humanity, you can help them check off their holiday wish list by donating new gently used items such as appliances, tools, and home decor to the Lindsay or Peterborough Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

“This is a special day to really mark the beginning of the giving season,” Christina Skuce, director of philanthropy and communications at Habitat for Humanity, said. “We have Black Friday, we have Cyber Monday, which often people are making purchases for themselves, and this is a way to give back and support their communities.”

In exchange for donations, Habitat for Humanity will give out 15 per cent off coupons that can be used towards purchases at ReStore.

“As we know across Peterborough and across the Kawartha region affordable housing is something we desperately need, there are many families that are really looking for that hand up and by people dropping off their goods to the ReStore they can really help those families to get that hand up and get into a home potentially by next Christmas,” said Skuce.

“A lot of people throw a lot of stuff out — when they can bring it in here and the money goes to help other people, absolutely astounding this is a great give back,” said Jim Eggleton, a shopper at ReStore.

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