TL;DR:

• Consider the importance of giving to make a difference.
• Reflect on where you would like to help out to make the greatest impact by giving.

Some individuals do not make New Year’s Resolutions. I’m one of those people who LOVE them! I look forward to timelines and smart goals and making those resolutions matter! I say make your resolutions for the New Year count each day. Make each moment memorable, and make your impact on the world this February! To start out my 2023 “Equity and Inclusion Just Got Better Blog” series I wanted to reach out to my educational professionals and readers around the world to give generously in the way you can to make a mark in our world.

Make your resolutions for the New Year count each day. Make each moment memorable, and make your impact on the world this February! Click To Tweet

Equity and Inclusion Reflection Questions:

1. Consider if you want to make a global outreach or local outreach when starting a giving campaign.
2. Next, find your passion. What is the one cause you can support this year?
3. Make a difference in your own way; it counts. Calculate, budget, and decide how much you are going to give each month. Write it down with a specific date in your organizer. For example, I am going to give $25 dollars to UNICEF each month on Giving Tuesday to double my impact on the last week of each month. Be specific with your goal.

Consider some of these options:

• Ensure the charity you support is registered and regulated.
• Ensure your contributions generate a positive outreach to grassroots organizations.
• Donate in your country of residence so you can make a difference anywhere in the world.

Donate your money to a REGISTERED CHARITY in your country of residence.

UNICEF is a charity I support that operates around the world. The money you give is going to make a huge difference in the lives of other people who need it.

The “Every Child Matters” Campaign lets you select a specific item in your price range to give towards the cause. Here are some examples of what you can donate. On Giving Tuesday, your contribution will be doubled to make a difference in a life of a child attending school anywhere you pick around the world.

You can also donate to a locally run registered charity in a country where UNICEF can make a difference by organizing with the local community organizations that are regulated in each individual country and are audited and monitored. Hence, your generous contributions—which are tax deductible—will make it to the hands of the community members that need them the most.

Start up your own LOCAL FUNDRAISER to make a difference in your community but attach it to a registered charity in the community.

This provides you an opportunity to be inclusive and equitable in your own local communities and know your work can make a difference. Go with your passions. I love supporting the Leashless Dog Parks in my community since our family dog, Odie, and I know firsthand that the parks need funding to maintain their quality for dogs to use.

I also am personally passionate about supporting local women’s organizations and women’s shelters. Female-led initiatives are important to me since Women’s Rights are important to me when thinking about equity and inclusion.

Consider food drives for the local food banks that are registered and regulated in the cities as another example since they always give generously in time of need to local citizens and are community-run organizations.

Start in your CLASSROOM to make a difference.

My students wanted to give food to a community in need to make a difference. I strategically tied the food drive to a media campaign in my classroom so that it is related to the curriculum that I am required to teach. I was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in a community that always helped each other while living through a civil war in the country prior to my parents immigrating to Canada.  My grade two online students donated and learned to fundraise to make a difference by learning the stories of the people in the community and the impact that they can positively make in their own way.

Start out small. Grow momentum in the way that you are comfortable as you work on considering the difference you can make. Kindness in our world goes a very long way.

Here is an article that shares 9 reasons to donate.

[scroll down to keep reading]

Stay in touch this new year by tagging me in posts about the difference you are making as you work on your own campaigns. The more shares, the more individuals will join to make the same difference. Build relationships and partnerships in your community, especially the community you teach in.

The world is a better place because we share on social media. I continue to always believe in the good we can do in the world.

I hope your Valentine’s Day was wonderful and you make a huge impact positively in our world through your generosity and contributions.

Yours in Education,

Nilmini

References

9 Reasons Why we donate to charities and non-profits

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/5_ways_giving_is_good_for_you

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About Nilmini Ratwatte-Henstridge

Nilmini lives in Ontario, Canada. She was born in Sri Lanka is immigrated to Canada. Educator at heart, she is passionate about equity, inclusion, social justice, and human rights in education.

She believes in understanding people as she travels to explore cultures in our world during her spare time, loves cooking at home and trying out new flavours, and continues to follow the latest fashion news!

Nilmini loves staying connected with global educators via social media: author, blogger, podcaster, and most importantly, just exploring life.