Welcome back to (an extra edition of) Giving Tuesdays, a section of On Humanity to support one another and those around us. As outlined here, every other week your requests or offers to this mutual support exchange form will be posted here. Submit one anytime!

If your inbox was overflowing yesterday, you’ve noticed that the annual Giving Tuesday has become ingrained in the nonprofit space by now. It seems apt to make an exception in the biweekly cadence of this newsletter and send one today (after last week’s Giving Tuesdays #6), as two new time-sensitive submissions to the mutual support form came in very recently, from two distinct U.S. regions, bound by a theme you may resonate with.

Community revitalization (fundraiser open through this Friday, 12/02)

One submission came from Ruth Chang, co-founder of Midstory, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit “dedicated to inform, interpret and inspire in post-industrial communities across the Midwest through multimedia storytelling and solutions-oriented research.”

Here is what Ruth sent in:

“I'm hoping to simply ask for readers to take a look at Midstory as a platform and to take a glimpse at our work since 2018 when my cofounders and I (three of the four are Princeton alum) returned to Ohio. The Giving Tuesday fundraiser goes to supporting our operations that help bring young people back into our area and to support Midwest-centric solutions-oriented storytelling and original media creation. We've worked with young people across the US to change the narrative surrounding the Midwest region, whose communities and culture we believe is in need of a new wave of care and freshness. This kind of care is required, really, for all communities across the world.”

The fundraiser notes, “Our midstory began nearly five years ago as four young people quit careers on the east coast, returning home in the hopes of contributing back to the region that raised them. Since then, we’ve persisted through tumultuous years to inform, interpret and inspire in and for our community — especially during times where misinformation and an overwhelming narrative of negativity make trustworthy research and genuine, authentic storytelling more important than ever. Here are a few of the projects we’ve done, and a few that are in the works — we hope you’ll find resonance with one, a few or all, and will consider supporting.”

Curing social isolation (send a card to the elderly by Friday, 12/16)

There has been substantial research on the subject of social isolation among older adults and its detrimental effects on their psychological and physical health. This CDC publication offers striking findings (on correlation with premature death, dementia, depression, etc.) and explores the issue as a matter of public health.

To brighten up the spirits of concrete people of age in a homeless shelter, every year this holiday season my alumni association (PANE) offers an opportunity for you to send them holiday cards through a nonprofit it partners with (Hearth Inc) in greater Boston. The annual initiative is spearheaded by one of our active alumni who prefers to remain anonymous here. This is what they wrote:

“Seeking volunteers for the Holiday Cards for Seniors - New Year's Edition campaign running through Dec. 16, 2022 - thank you if you can help out!” “Really grateful to anyone who can send some cards - a few or several! Each one we send will brighten someone's winter season.”

The page notes, “Hearth currently has 230 units of housing – let’s make sure everyone gets at least one card. Since 2020, we’ve sent over 350 cards to isolated seniors – let’s keep the momentum going! Our hope is that volunteers can send two to three cards but more are encouraged! The cards aren’t to a specific recipient, so we hope each resident receives at least one. Store-bought & homemade cards are welcomed. And please take photos to share with us!”

As you explore these initiatives, I hope that you have the chance to support them through direct action this week — either by sending out some holiday cards to the elderly or donating to Midstory. If you’d like me to connect you with either of the individuals in charge, please reach out to me, and I’d be happy to do so.

Happy almost-December!

If you’d like your request or offer to be featured in a future Giving Tuesdays section of this publication, please submit the mutual support form or reach out. Please consider inviting a friend or more to this publication or to the anyhumans podcast as a guest or as a host.

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