You’ve heard of Black Friday, Shop Local Saturday and Cyber Monday. But, have you heard about #Giving Tuesday? #GivingTuesdayMC hopes to inspire people to take action, to give back, to volunteer — all in an effort to improve lives in our local communities. This year, Nov. 29 is #GivingTuesdayMC.

Plan now to be part of this movement. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Rebecca’s Closet, a project of Women in Action, is in need of warm winter items for low-income kids in our community. For every item purchased between now and Giving Tuesday, Women in Action will match your purchase. And to make an even greater impact, an anonymous donor will also match your purchases! That means that if you buy one pair of waterproof mittens or boots, three pairs will be available to keep kids warm and dry this winter! Go to UnitedWayMC.org and click on the #GivingTuesday image on the home page. When you are finished shopping, inspire others by sharing on Facebook. Use #GivingTuesdayMC.
• Give your time. Every non-profit, church or school has opportunities for you to help out. You’ll find lots of volunteer opportunities on the United Way website at http://unitedwaymc.galaxydigital.com/. Be sure to take a photo of your volunteer experience or your plans to volunteer and share it on Facebook. Use #GivingTuesdayMC.
• Help a friend or neighbor. #GivingTuesdayMC encourages you to lend a hand locally. You can drop off a box of food at a food pantry, shovel your neighbor’s walk or driveway, buy a stranger lunch in the drive-thru. Do something or anything to help someone out and tell us about it on Facebook. Use #GivingTuesdayMC.