Charity groups are reminding Iowans about “Giving Tuesday,” which follows the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa in Waterloo is promoting the effort by holding a photo contest on its Facebook page. The organization is asking community members to post pictures of their volunteer efforts. The three winners will be given a grant of $500 to donate to the nonprofit charity of their choice. Jake Byers, spokesperson for the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, says Giving Tuesday is an important day to have among the holidays.

“We have a day of thanks for Thanksgiving, we have Black Friday, and then we have Cyber Monday. So, Giving Tuesday is a way to highlight giving and making your community a better place,” Byers says. While Giving Tuesday is meant to draw attention to charities, Byers is hoping Iowans will think about “giving back” more than one day a year. “We want people to understand that Giving Tuesday is more than just one day. It’s something that people can do throughout the year, whether that’s through volunteering, sharing their talents, or making a gift to nonprofits,” Byers said.

According to Byers, staff at the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa will look for the most creative photo posts to decide the contest winners.

(Radio Iowa)