But for Alejandra, childhood was much more difficult. Unable to join the other kids, she sadly watched them play outside from her bedroom window. Attending school was only a dream in Alejandra’s mind. Walking was just too painful.

Alejandra was born with a clubfoot. Without medical care, her story would have been tragic. She would have never known what it felt like to run with her friends or receive an education.

But, because of people like you who donated on #GivingTuesday, Americares can help children like Alejandra. We gave gifts of medical supplies and taught Alejandra’s grandmother how to care for her wounds.

Alejandra is now receiving the care she needs to walk normally — without pain— and have a chance at a better life.

What’s it all about?

Giving Tuesday is about helping children just like Alejandra and vulnerable families around the world.

By now, a lot of people like you are already aware of Giving Tuesday. It’s the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, our special giving holiday.

It’s also known as the National Day of Giving because it allows us to take a break from Black Friday and Cyber Monday and share the blessings we’ve enjoyed with vulnerable people in the little corners of the world.

#GivingTuesday started just seven years ago. And it’s grown quickly. Many organizations rely on it to help fund their work for not only one day, but all through the year.

Of course, you can help others year-round through volunteering, donating or spreading the word about the causes you care about. But on #GT, your compassion is magnified by the generosity of millions of other people, and the impact is seen and felt globally.

Help Us Give the Gift of Health

With your donations, Americares can provide medicines and care for vulnerable children like Alejandra. And in regions that are vulnerable to disaster, we pre-position emergency medical and relief supplies.

When Hurricane Dorian, a historic and deadly Category 5 storm, demolished communities and left families in desperate need, Americares was on the ground in the Bahamas within days of the storm.

We coordinated response efforts, organized emergency medical teams, provided relief supplies and addressed urgent health concerns.

And we don’t abandon survivors after an emergency.

Americares stays behind to rebuild clinics and hospitals that provide critical health needs for the local communities.

Our rapid response can be the difference between life and death for survivors of a natural disaster. All the support we provide hinges on your kind heart and generous donations.

Give Money

For every $10 you donate, Americares can provide $200 in aid. You can make a one-time gift or join our generous monthly givers — our Heroes for Health — to help people in crisis.

More than just physical health, ill-health affects learning and cognition of young children whose parents can’t afford primary healthcare. Your Giving Tuesday gift can help save lives that would have been lost to disease and disaster.

Give Kindness

A small act of kindness inspires generosity. Tell your colleagues how much you appreciate them. Buy lunch for the homeless man on the corner of the street. Donate clothes or food to help vulnerable people in need. One act of kindness matters more than you know.

Give Time and Talent

Some people volunteer to give back to their community. For others, it’s a way to use their skills to make a difference. But for those who do not have the time or opportunity to volunteer, making a donation is an excellent way to give back.

Share Your Giving

Use the #GivingTuesday hashtag to show the world how you’re giving and inspire your followers to do the same. Share your #GivingTuesday story and tell your followers why you support Americares.

This year for the first time in our 40-year history, Americares has received a Giving Tuesday 8X Match. That means every dollar you donate on Giving Tuesday can be matched for eight times the impact.

It’s an extraordinary opportunity for you to make just one gift, and have it multiplied eightfold to help more communities increase their resilience to disaster, help more children receive health care, and distribute more medicines and supplies to clinics both here in the U.S. and around the world.

In short, with our matching gift, you’ll help more people reach their full potential — and you’ll save more lives.

If you were considering a Giving Tuesday donation to Americares, or a generous year-end gift to help save lives and improve health, please don’t miss this chance. All contributions are eligible to be matched when giving on or before #Giving Tuesday.