Good Deeds Day is Changing the World

By: Annie Misner, Account Director, For Momentum

What do Pope Francis, Bill Gates, For Momentum, Adrian Grenier, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, GM Team Cares and millions of people in 88 different countries around the world all have in common? They all support Good Deeds Day.

In 2007, American-Israeli businesswoman and philanthropist Shari Arison started a global movement with a simple idea: Do good. For over a decade, Good Deeds Day has united people from all walks of life, in all cultures, to do good deeds for the benefit of others and the planet. That means doing just about anything positive on Good Deeds Day, for another human being or for Mother Earth and all creatures great and small.

And couldn’t we all use a little more good right about now?

Good Deeds Day is Getting Noticed

Each year at the annual Points of Light Conference on Volunteering and Service, Hands On Network honors the outstanding work of a Network member with the George W. Romney Award. In 2016, this pinnacle of excellence was presented to honor the global success of Good Deeds Day.

Good Deeds Day won this prestigious award for exhibiting outstanding excellence in leveraging, engaging and managing local change-makers, and illustrating how the power of individuals can collectively create change to address community needs. In 2017, Points of Light is helping to inspire participation on this day of service!

GameChangers 500 is also getting involved with Good Deeds Day this year. Good Deeds Day and GameChangers 500 share the belief that corporations have the responsibility to not just maximize profits but also maximize benefits to people and the planet. GameChangers 500 is encouraging member companies, who represent the world’s top “for-benefit” companies and organizations on a merit-based system, to take part in Good Deeds Day. Companies who view business as a force for good recognize this international day of good as a strategic opportunity to empower their employees and, ultimately, create positive impact for all stakeholders. Together they are building a new model of business. Great idea, GameChangers 500!

How You Can Join the Movement

For Momentum is proud to work with Good Deeds Day. We encourage you to get involved on April 2 this year, too. The Good Deeds Day website has all sorts of great ideas and tools to inspire your good deed.

If you are a nonprofit organization, Good Deeds Day is a great opportunity for donor communication. Leverage the platform to encourage donors to do something good for your organization, or, better yet, simply use this day to thank your existing donors for the good they’ve helped you accomplish.

Corporations can leverage Good Deeds Day, too. Encourage employees and customers to do good for a cause – any cause – that matters to them or your company. Use this day to shine a spotlight on the good work you are already doing through your communication channels, on a day when the world will be watching.

Individually, doing good deeds can be as simple as making an extra effort to smile at a stranger, call your mom, or open the door for someone.

Download this file, print it and post it anywhere! https://goo.gl/DBeiD6

Other ideas include cleaning out your closet and donating gently used things to charity or sending a nice note to a friend. For maximum impact, get a group together to support a local cause you care about, clean a park, hand out nice notes to strangers or pick up trash along a busy street.

Mark your calendars now to share some good on April 2nd. Pledge to do something and share it with the world. You can see what others are doing and proudly state your pledge here. We can’t wait to see what you’ve done. Don’t forget to tag us! #GoodDeedsDay #ForMomentum

All of us at For Momentum hope you are inspired to take part and share your good!

P.S. If you are interested in learning more, please view and share our three-minute video showing how an impact is being made around the world.