RICHMOND, Va. -- Analysts say U.S. shoppers figuratively broke the bank over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend spending billions in store and online.
Tuesday, hundreds of Richmond-area nonprofits are hoping that trend continues for 'Giving Tuesday'.
According to "Whole Whale," an analytics and marketing agency that focuses on nonprofits, this year's "GivingTuesday" could bring in $3.4 billion dollars.
Experts say whether it's time, money, physical gifts or acts of service, giving back has been shown to have positive mental health impacts.
"As humans, we're hardwired, we like to help other people," explained Alexandra Cromer, who is a licensed counselor with Thriveworks. "And, you know, we'd like to receive feedback that knowing that a donation of money or time or energy has been has been used in a positive way to help someone out."
Cromer says giving back is also a form of mindfulness. She explains when we're giving back, we're focusing on the present moment and the needs of someone else, not our past, future or things going on in our personal lives.
"It can help us either put what we're going through into perspective, it can help us maybe forget, it can help us, maybe just have fun giving, giving a space in between our thoughts and emotions," Cromer explained. "Even for 10 to 15 minutes, it can have significantly positive impacts, you know, reducing levels of anxiety, depression."
According to National Day Calendar, "Giving Day" was created back in 2012 to bring focus to the charitable season in the wake of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
More popularly known today as "GivingTuesday" -- due to the hashtag of the same name -- the day is also about using the power of social media to help causes around the world.
If you can’t make a financial donation, the Red Cross asks you to consider giving blood because they say supplies traditionally run low during the holidays.
