Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day – May. 12, 2027

Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day
Categories:
Tags:
ActivitiesAwareness
Where:
United States
Date change rule:
2nd Wednesday of May
Holiday emoji:
💖

Donate a Day’s Wages to Charity Day arrives every second Wednesday in May, inspiring generosity and collective action. This day encourages individuals to contribute a portion of their income to support vital causes. Find a charity you believe in and make a meaningful difference.

Want to sponsor Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day? Learn how

Expected Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day Deals

On Donate a Day’s Wages to Charity Day, the focus shifts from commercial deals to impactful fundraising and donation matching. Organizations like GiveWell and Charity Navigator will highlight highly effective charities for informed giving. Many employers, including companies like Salesforce and Google, often run matching gift programs, amplifying employee contributions. Nonprofits such as the United Way and Doctors Without Borders will launch specific campaigns, encouraging direct donations and volunteer sign-ups. Look for opportunities to support causes through platforms like GoFundMe Charity and Benevity, which facilitate corporate giving. We will update this page with confirmed live giving opportunities as May 13 approaches.

Platform Guide for Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #DonateADaysWages. Share a photo of your chosen charity’s mission or a graphic explaining why you’re giving, encouraging others to join.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #DonateADaysWages. Tweet about the cause you’re supporting, sharing verifiable impact statistics or a link to donate directly.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #DonateADaysWages. Create a fundraiser for your favorite charity or share stories of how donations make a difference.

Social Media Tips for Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day

Individuals

Identify a cause close to your heart, research a reputable charity, and commit to donating a day's wages. Share your story on social media to inspire friends and family.

Creators

Produce content that educates your audience on effective altruism, highlights the impact of various charities, or documents your own donation process to encourage participation.

Brands

Launch an employee matching program for the day, or partner with a charity to donate a percentage of sales. Use your platform to raise awareness for the chosen cause and encourage customer donations.

Organizations & Brands for Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day

  1. GiveWell

    Founded in 2007, GiveWell is a non-profit organization that conducts in-depth research to find and recommend charities that save or improve lives the most per dollar. They focus on evidence-based giving.

  2. Charity Navigator

    Established in 2001, Charity Navigator is a leading charity evaluator that assesses the financial health, accountability, and transparency of thousands of charities. They help donors make informed giving decisions.

  3. Salesforce

    Founded in 1999, Salesforce is a cloud-based software company known for its 1-1-1 philanthropic model, donating 1% of equity, 1% of product, and 1% of employee time to communities worldwide.

  4. Google.org

    Google.org is the philanthropic arm of Google, established in 2005. It supports nonprofits with grants, products, and employee volunteers to address global challenges, often focusing on education, economic opportunity, and crisis response.

  5. United Way Worldwide

    Founded in 1887, United Way is a global network of local charitable organizations that works to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. They focus on education, income, and health.

  6. Doctors Without Borders

    Founded in 1971, this international humanitarian medical organization provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters, and to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination.

  7. Fidelity Charitable

    Established in 1991, Fidelity Charitable is an independent public charity that sponsors one of the largest donor-advised fund programs. It enables donors to make tax-deductible charitable contributions easily.

Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day Hero

Eugene and Minhee Cho

Eugene and Minhee Cho are the married couple who founded Donate a Day's Wages to Charity Day in 2009. Inspired by their commitment to effective altruism and a desire to make giving more intentional, they created the holiday to encourage widespread participation in philanthropy. Their work through organizations like One Day's Wages has mobilized significant resources for poverty alleviation globally.

History of Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day

Donate a Day’s Wages To Charity Day is part of the “One Day’s Wages” (O.D.W) movement, which was started back in 2009 by Eugene Cho and his wife, Minhee in Seattle, Washington. Cho is the founding pastor and former senior pastor of ‘Quest Church.’ The couple had saved for three years and opened a Facebook group called “Fight Global Poverty” to be able to make an initial investment of $68,000 to their dream of helping to fight one of the world’s most deadly plagues — poverty.

According to Cho, the dream of O.D.W started when he visited Myanmar in 2006. He saw the state of the schools there and heard how much the teachers were paid annually. In an interview, Cho said: “We are neither poor nor rich. We’re simply a middle-class family with privilege because we have so many opportunities that many in the world do not have.” When he was asked about the extreme poverty in the world and his reasons for deciding to go ahead with his plans, he continued by saying, “It shouldn’t be this way and doesn’t have to be this way. We can end extreme global poverty.”

Since “One Day’s Wages” began, it has grown to become an international movement, as they now have donors supporting different charity projects in more than 44 countries around the world. Apart from raising donations, it has also offered a platform for charity and nonprofit organizations to talk about their essence and goals. It is also a day to celebrate the transparent and trustworthy charity organizations in the world and to appreciate volunteers, donors, and partners who go out of their way to share their passion for charity.

How Businesses Can Celebrate Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day

Local businesses can champion Donate a Day’s Wages to Charity Day by organizing an employee giving campaign, offering to match a portion of staff donations to a chosen cause. They could also partner with a local nonprofit for a specific fundraising drive, perhaps donating a percentage of sales for the day or hosting a collection point for goods. Highlighting the impact of local charities on their social media channels, or providing employees with paid time off to volunteer, can further encourage participation and community engagement.

When is Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day?

In 2027, Donate a Day’s Wages to Charity Day will be observed on Wednesday, May 12. This day serves as a powerful reminder of the collective impact that thoughtful giving can achieve.

How much impact can one day's wages make?

Even a small contribution, when pooled with others, can create significant change. Many charities leverage donations to provide essential services, from clean water and food to education and medical care, directly improving lives.

What percentage of income do people typically donate to charity?

While the average giving rate varies, studies show that religious individuals tend to donate a higher percentage of their income. This day aims to inspire a broader culture of conscious giving across all demographics.

What is effective altruism?

Unlike traditional charity, effective altruism focuses on finding the best opportunities to do good, often by supporting interventions that have been rigorously tested and proven to be highly cost-effective in addressing global problems.

How to Observe Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day

  1. Donate a day's wages

    The best way to celebrate Donate A Day's wages To Charity is to donate one day's wages to charity, whatever that amount means to you. Visit a charity home today to donate. You can also donate online!

  2. Volunteer your time

    Many charity and non-profit organizations will have a lot of activities running throughout the day. You can offer to be a volunteer and help in any way you can.

  3. Use the hashtag

    Let everyone know what today is! Post a link to our article online and don't forget to use the hashtag #DonateADay'sWagesToCharityday.

5 Interesting Facts About The Cho Family

  1. The Cho children are also heroes

    Much isn't said about them but the children of Eugene and Minhee Cho also played big roles in starting and running O.D.W.

  2. The Cho’s have made an additional investment

    In 2010, Eugene Cho and his family gave a further $100,000 to the O.D.W cause.

  3. Enormous amounts have been raised for projects

    Since its start in October 2009, O.D.W has raised over $8 million for projects across over 44 countries.

  4. Cho is an American hero

    For his entrepreneurial work, Eugene Cho has been honored as one of the “50 Everyday American Heroes.”

  5. Cho was on the Frederick Douglass List

    Eugene was also honored as part of the 200 people to appear on the Frederick Douglass list around the world.

Why Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day is Important

  1. Global poverty can be defeated

    Eugene Cho had to visit Myanmar to find out about the terrible state of things. There are so many other places like this and worse. This holiday inspires us to do our part, no matter how little, to make a difference.

  2. Giving is a blessing

    This holiday teaches us that giving is a blessing. Being able to give what we have to others is one of the greatest privileges in life.

  3. Helping the less privileged

    So many kids do not have the opportunity to experience the good things of life because of where they were born. We can make the lives of these kids better when we donate.

Year Date Day
2026 May 13 Wednesday
2027 May 12 Wednesday
2028 May 10 Wednesday
2029 May 9 Wednesday
2030 May 8 Wednesday