Highfields Center for Composting joins #GivingTuesday movement to encourage holiday philanthropy
Hardwick, Vermont—Highfields Center for Composting has joined #GivingTuesday, a fundraiser that harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners—charities, families, businesses and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday inspires people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities.
Highfields is asking Vermonters to close the loop on sustainable agriculture, and to support local food systems, by making a donation this holiday season. Close the Loop!, a successful community composting model, is Highfields Center for Composting’s flagship program, and helps to divert 10,000 tons of organic waste from the landfills every year. This is equivalent to reducing gasoline consumption by one million gallons.
#GivingTuesday takes place on December 3, 2013, which is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The event harnesses the power of social media to create a national atmosphere of holiday giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping.
“This is an incredible effort with partners all across the country,” says Highfields’ Executive Director Jim Davis. “We’re really excited to join the movement, and hope to see our supporters—and really, all environmental stewards—take part in this campaign to support our local food systems.”
Highfields has secured a gift of $17,000 from an anonymous donor, which will serve as a matching incentive for all other donations. More information can be found at http://highfieldscomposting.org, or by calling the center at (802) 472-5138 x206. Highfields Center for Composting in non-profit, mission-driven organization dedicated to closing the loop on sustainable food and agricultural systems, thus addressing soil health, water quality, solid waste, farm viability, and climate change. Highfields conducts research, offers educational resources, develops community-operated composting programs, and provides technical services with the goal of recycling 100% of Vermont’s food scraps by 2017.
For more information about Highfields Center for Composting’s involvement in #GivingTuesday, please contact Kim Mercer at 802-472-5138 extension 206 or send a message to kim@highfieldscomposting.org.
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