GivingTuesday 2026: How to Give (and Help Panama) on December 1

GivingTuesday 2026 falls on Tuesday, December 1, the Tuesday after U.S. Thanksgiving. The simplest ways to take part are to make a one-time or monthly donation to an organization you have checked, give your time as a volunteer, or start a small online appeal among friends, family or coworkers. You can join from Panama or from any other country. This guide explains what GivingTuesday is, how to choose where your gift goes, how to avoid scams that appear around the date, and how to support Planet Great Relief on December 1 or any day.

What is GivingTuesday?

GivingTuesday is a global day of generosity held every year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States. It started in 2012 as a response to the shopping days that come just before it (Black Friday and Cyber Monday), and today people and organizations in many countries use it to give money, time or help to causes they care about. It is not run by any single charity: anyone can take part, and any organization can invite its supporters to give.

When is GivingTuesday 2026?

In 2026, Thanksgiving in the United States is on Thursday, November 26, so GivingTuesday is on Tuesday, December 1, 2026. Many organizations open their appeals a few days before and keep them open through the first week of December. If you plan to give, you do not have to wait for the exact day: a gift made earlier helps an organization plan its end-of-year programs.

Ways to take part (with any budget)

• Give once: a one-time donation to an organization you trust.
• Start a monthly gift: GivingTuesday is a good moment to begin a small recurring donation that continues through the year. Our guide to monthly vs one-time donations explains the difference.
• Give your time: sign up as a volunteer, in person or remotely. See volunteer opportunities in Panama.
• Ask others to join you: share a cause with friends, family or your team at work. Our guide on how to organize a charity fundraiser shows how to do it simply.
• Give through your company: some businesses use the date to sponsor a program. Read about corporate sponsorship of humanitarian projects in Panama.
• Give in someone’s name: a donation can replace a holiday gift for someone who already has everything.

How to choose where to give

On GivingTuesday your inbox and social media fill with appeals. Before you give, take five minutes to check:

1. Who receives the money: the organization’s name, a physical address and a way to contact a real person.
2. What the money is for: a clear description of the programs your gift supports.
3. How you pay: a secure checkout on the organization’s own website, with a recognized payment processor.
4. Whether you get a receipt: you should receive one for every payment.
5. How you will hear about the work: a good organization tells its donors what it does with their support.

For a longer checklist, read how to choose a charity you can trust.

Avoid GivingTuesday scams

Days when many people give also attract people who pretend to be charities. Be careful with:

• Messages that pressure you to give “in the next hour”.
• Requests to pay by gift card, cryptocurrency or a transfer to a personal account.
• Links that look like a known organization but lead to a different website address.
• Callers who will not give you a website, address or written information.

When in doubt, do not click the link in the message. Type the organization’s address yourself, or write to it directly to confirm the appeal is real.

Giving to Panama from abroad on GivingTuesday

You do not need to be in Panama to help. Online card donations work from any country, and Panama uses the U.S. dollar, so the amount you see is the amount you give (your bank may still charge its own card fee). Our guide on how to donate to a charity in Panama from abroad covers receipts, currency and what to ask about taxes in your country.

What about taxes?

Do not assume that a donation is tax-deductible. It depends on the country where you pay taxes and on how the organization and the donation are documented. If this matters to you, ask your accountant before you give.

How to support Planet Great Relief on GivingTuesday

Planet Great Relief is the humanitarian division of CanalMarket Group, with its office in Punta Pacífica, Panama City. We work on three programs: emergency relief, education and opportunity, and faith and community support, in Panama, Latin America and beyond. This GivingTuesday you can:

• Donate once or monthly on our donation page. Payments are processed securely by Stripe and you receive an email receipt.
• Apply as a volunteer and tell us how you would like to help.
• Write to us if your company, church or group wants to support a specific program. See also how to help families in Panama this Christmas.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to give?

Make your GivingTuesday donation, ask Hope, our AI assistant, using the chat on this page, or write to us on WhatsApp at +507 6266-2404. You can also email salescanalmarket@gmail.com.

Published by

Planet Great Relief

Humanitarian relief with purpose

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