'Giving Tuesday' 2017: 11 Mercer Island Charities To Support

MERCER ISLAND, WA - Now that the turkey-fueled consumerist binge of Black Friday and Cyber Monday is over, it's time to get altruistic. Nov. 28 is "Giving Tuesday," a newer holiday that reminds us to spend money on charities, too.

This is the sixth Giving Tuesday, which the Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact at the 92nd Street Y created in 2012 to "[connect] diverse groups of individuals, communities and organizations around the world for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage giving."

Last year, Giving Tuesday raised approximately $168 million for hundreds of charities. However, there are some reports that the charitable holiday is better for bigger charities than small ones. This year, the Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Facebook will match up to $2 million in donations.

Giving Tuesday is by no means limited to participating nonprofits, but here are a few local organizations that are participating in the 2017 #GivingTuesday holiday:

• Friendship Circle of Washington - Nonprofit - Website
• MED25 International - Nonprofit - Website
• Mercer Island Farmers Market - Nonprofit - Website
• MIYFS Foundation - Foundation - Website
• Nicolas Fund for Education - Nonprofit - Website
• Northwest Yeshiva High School School - Website
• Pacific Northwest Conference - Faith-based Organization - Website
• Samuel and Althea Stroum Jewish Community Center of Greater Seattle - Nonprofit - Website
• SeaVuria - Nonprofit - Website
• The Kiran Anjali Project - Nonprofit - Website
• Youth Theatre Northwest - Nonprofit - Website

Photo: Johnny Lugo, right, gets his foot washed by Robin Ringland, left, a volunteer from the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, Wash., Wednesday, April 6, 2016, at the United Way of King County's Community Resource Exchange in Seattle. The one-day event is designed to provide opportunities for people who are homeless or in temporary housing like Lugo, and facing other challenges to access resources and services available in the Seattle area.

Image by Ted S. Warren/Associated Press