Happy Giving Tuesday!

By: Lilly Thumm

Today is Giving Tuesday! Every year since 2012, this holiday has fallen on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving as a way for people to give back to their community. Without volunteers, Women4Change couldn't reach nearly as many Hoosiers as we do. It is with your support and contributions that we can put on events like our Civic Education Conference and speak at the Statehouse to advocate for women's rights. However, not all organizations aimed at women's issues are as lucky as we have been.

While issues that affect women have received more attention recently, the organizations addressing these issues haven't. These issues, like the gender pay gap and sexual harassment or assault, have been a problem for years, but research has shown that "the pandemic reversed progress on gender equity." Charitable giving is also reported to remain "very low" by IUPUI's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

The Giving Compass reports that the Women's Philanthropy Institute (WPI) measures giving to women's organizations using the Women and Girls Index (WGI). The WPI has found that while "nearly 50,000 organizations are dedicated to women and girls across the United States, the WGI consistently shows that less than 2% of total charitable giving goes to these organizations."

Additionally, a New York Times article has supported this idea that the pandemic has negatively impacted women's issues by stating that "the pandemic will take women 10 years back in the workplace. Women of color have been hit hardest by joblessness. Domestic violence has increased, as have the risks to women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health."

As a society, we have to recognize these problems and consider the ways we have gone backward since the pandemic, as well as how to remedy these consequences. Today, ask yourself: "Do my values align with my current giving? Is my dedication to raising awareness for and alleviating women's issues reflected in my contributions to the organizations in my community?"

Today is a day to answer this question and give back to your community and increase the number of charitable giving allocated to women’s organizations. The pandemic may have set back women’s progress, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. With your support, we can continue taking steps forward and advocating for Hoosier women to make positive changes. You can make a difference today by committing to a monthly contribution of $5.