Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two days where we bring out our credit cards and tap our way to some great deals. But after, let's be real, a whole weekend of treating ourselves Giving Tuesday is the perfect day to turn it around and give back to the community.

This year we joined our friends at Local Laundry and headed to the Calgary Food Bank to lend a hand building snack bags for a few hours for our very first Giving Tuesday. No surprise we love our community here in Calgary, but we know you do too! 

Here are 5 ways you can give back to the Calgary community on Giving Tuesday and any other day!

Lend your time to a local charity

Your time is equally valuable to many charities as your donations. At the Food Bank volunteers’ time is converted into hand made bags of food that go out to those in need, at other organizations it could simply be your love and support that are most valuable, like at the hospital or at animal shelters.

Take one of our GIVER classes

On Fridays, our last class of the day at each of our studios is $10 drop-in where all proceeds go to our quarterly charity that you vote in! Right now those donations will go HIV Community Link, an organization that works to prevent, treat, and help those with HIV and hepatitis C. Come for the ride and leave knowing you’ve made an impact on the community.

Donate your no longer needed items

All those clothes, books, furniture, and more that you don’t use anymore is needed by someone else out there. Many organizations in our city take used items to give to those in need, some of these include The Drop-In Centre, The Mustard Seed, NeighbourLink Calgary, and many more.

Make a Purchase

Many companies donate a portion of proceeds from each purchase to a charity or cause of their choice. $10 from every one of our Home Of The Bikergang Sweaters goes towards the Calgary Drop-In Centre, meaning it’s a treat yourself moment that you can feel good about! Other brands we love that give back are Milk Jar Candles, Local Laundry & TreeEra

Donate Dollars

Often during the holiday season, when we and charities are at their busiest, it’s not easy to make time to volunteer or bring all your used clothing to a drop-off point. An easy at-home way to give back to the community to pledge or make an online donation to a charity of your choice. These donations can make all the difference to people, animals, and communities alike whether you donate $5 or $50. Many of your favorite companies and brands right now are likely running fundraisers through the holidays, we just finished our Movember campaign and with your donations more than doubled our goal of $500! Crazy!!

This Giving Tuesday and holiday season we challenge you to find a way to make a difference. Big or small every time you give back there is someone out there whose life is made better and we think that’s pretty cool!

If you’re ready to give back, check out our schedule for a GIVER class and spin for a good cause!