as we enter the holiday season, business owners and customers alike are feeling the desire to give back to their communities. there’s no better time than on #givingtuesday, which falls this year on november 28th. #givingtuesday, the global day of giving, has been around for 6 years, and last year raised 177 million dollars for charities across the globe. below are some ways that your small business can join forces with your customers to make an impact on your community.

host a food/clothing/supplies drive

local organizations in your area (from homeless shelters to food banks) could make great use of donations like toys, canned food, or clothes. try offering a discount to customers who bring in an item to donate.

donate a portion of your sales to charity

consider a good, old-fashioned donation to charity—it works! have a #givingtuesday sale where you commit to donating a portion of your sales to a worthy cause.

think specific

own a hair or nail salon? offer your services for free to the mothers at your local family shelter. a restaraunt? throw a party for the youth in your community who are making a difference. a clothing store? have your customers sponsor interview-ready outfits for low-income job seekers. whatever your industry, there are plenty of fun ways you can uniquely contribute to a kinder, happier community.

have a #givingtuesday block party

reach out to neighboring businesses to host a block-wide (or bigger!) #givingtuesday celebration. together, you can decide on a charity you’ll combine forces to raise money for. you might even consider contacting your local chamber of commerce or city government to secure an official street closure. then, invite food trucks to join and chip in a portion of their proceeds to your charity and local musicians (or dance troupe, improv group) to perform. in addition to committing a portion of your proceeds towards your charity, you could also hold a raffle, with you and your neighbors donating the prizes.

need more inspiration? check out the small business case studies compiled by #givingtuesday.