#GivingTuesday Reaches the West Coast as Local Charity the Gary L. Hoop Foundation Launches Giving Tuesday So-Cal

Signal Hill, California, July 1, 2015 (Newswire.com) - The now global experiment in collaboration; #GivingTuesday, has changed the way the nonprofit sector thinks about working together to achieve a common goal. Building on the success stories from the East Coast and around the world, Giving Tuesday So-Cal launched with sights set on uniting the LA/OC metro area in an effort to make an impact in local communities.

The regional campaign launched Monday, June 22nd with significant support from the City of Long Beach, where Mayor Robert Garcia officially proclaimed December 1st, 2015 to be #GivingTuesday. Long Beach, which is the 7th most populous city in California and 2nd most populous in Los Angeles County behind only the City of Los Angeles, was the first major proclamation to hit social media in the 2015 edition of #GivingTuesday. The city’s nearly 470,000 residents now have a day to pledge support for local nonprofit organizations and celebrate the spirit of charity, volunteerism, and community service.

"I, Mayor Robert Garcia, on behalf of the City Council and the people of the City of Long Beach, hereby proclaim December 1, 2015 as Giving Tuesday in the City of Long Beach, and encourage all citizens to join together to give back to the community in any way that personally meaningful."

Robert Garcia, Mayor, City of Long Beach

Now in its fourth year, #GivingTuesday is the brainchild of the folks at the 92nd Street Y in New York City’s Upper East Side. This “day of giving” is situated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, immediately after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. #GivingTuesday was intended to give people the opportunity after two days which are synonymous with consumption, to then think about others. Originally, it was thought to be dependent on the American holiday shopping season. However, as the idea spreads across the globe, it has become clear that the wonderful concept has carved its own place in the minds of individuals worldwide.  The data which has been accumulated in the first three years of #GivingTuesday tells a wonderful story about the efficacy of this campaign. Check out the infographic released after the conclusion of last year’s campaign.

Giving Tuesday So-Cal is a regional campaign which aims to unite nonprofit organizations, corporate partners, and individuals in the Greater Los Angeles/Orange County Metro area in their philanthropic efforts on #givingtuesday. The second year campaign is organized by The Gary L. Hoop Foundation, a Signal Hill based 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to restoring the joy of childhood for children facing severe illness, disability, or disease. News media outlets who are active on social media are encouraged to follow @GTSoCal for Giving Tuesday So-Cal news stories. For more information, please visit http://www.givingtuesdaysocal.org or http://www.garyskids.org.

Direct Media Requests To:

John Hoop

President & CEO

The Gary L. Hoop Foundation

Giving Tuesday So-Cal Chairman

john@garyskids.org