On Tuesday, December 2, charities, individuals, schools, businesses and other community organizations will come together to celebrate the third annual #GivingTuesday, a national day of giving back that reminds each and every one of us that, whether through a charitable donation or volunteerism, we can all make a positive impact on our communities this holiday season.
CVS Health colleagues across the country bring our values of caring and collaboration to life all year long by volunteering their time to nonprofit organizations and causes that are close to their hearts. They have embraced opportunities to volunteer in their communities, from mentoring children and serving at local soup kitchens, to supporting our troops and helping out at community health centers. Our colleagues log thousands of volunteer hours annually, and last year, they donated more than $1.1 million of volunteer hours to support issues they are passionate about.
#GivingTuesday exemplifies this same spirit of giving back, and we are excited to join the #GivingTuesday movement for the second year in a row, not only to extend our support of local organizations, but also to recognize the importance of volunteerism, which is a vital component to supporting and improving local communities.
In honor of #GivingTuesday, we are celebrating our colleagues' spirit of volunteerism and will support the inspirational community-based work being done by nonprofits nationwide. As part of our campaign, we invited colleagues to nominate a charity that they volunteer with in their local community to receive a grant from the CVS Health Foundation. In response to the overwhelming success of last year's CVS Health #GivingTuesday campaign, this year the Foundation is more than doubling its commitment and will award a total of $100,000 to 50 organizations nationwide.
#GivingTuesday reminds us that the holiday season is a special time of year, not only to give back to our local communities, but to recognize those who give back all year long through their commitment to volunteerism. We are grateful to the 92Y for creating this national movement and focusing the nation's attention on the true meaning of the holiday season, which begins with helping others and making a positive impact.
We look forward to announcing the 50 organizations that will be chosen to receive funding on #GivingTuesday, and we hope the dedication and generosity of this national call to action will stay with all of us through the holiday season and beyond.