When Susan Dufner, 62, of Wyomissing, Berks County, found out her $16 crowdfunding donation successfully helped the wildlife rehabilitation facility, Wild Heart Ranch, in Oklahoma reach its monetary goal to expand its land to be able to save more animals in need of rescue, she was overjoyed. Crowdfunding offers an opportunity for people to pool smaller donations together for a larger cause, such as to support the land expansion of a wildlife rehabilitation center. (Pexels) “We did it,” Dufner said. “Thank you so much Wild Heart Ranch, you made my day, life, week, so much happier. My little $16 has made me a land owner in Oklahoma — when I’m gone, my itty bitty part of you will still be there. How awesome is that.” Dufner is excited to receive her “Land that love bought” T-shirt in the mail that was announced after the official purchase of the land once they met the monetary goal. Collective giving This goes to show you that even small donations can have a huge impact, so during this time of giving there are still ways to make very big impacts, particularly when you look at the power of opportunities to take part in collective giving. Holidays are notoriously a stressful time for many, from a financial perspective when it comes to the cost of gifts on top of food costs, but you don’t have to wait to have a big chunk of change in order to participate in the season of giving. Dufner finds ways to give back through various avenues she can afford that also gives her the satisfaction of helping people and causes she supports in the ways that she can manage between her budget and her work schedule. Supports a person in need When shopping at Goodwill, Giant, Weis and other places that offer a chance to round up at the register, she takes that opportunity to support the cause at hand. During her limited free time, given she works five days a week, she also supports a person in need regularly. A friend, neighbor or employee who might be struggling to do their weekly grocery shopping could offer you a way to give back through the giving of your time, help and attention. (Pexels) “Having two jobs does limit me on time, but I do help a fellow employee who doesn’t drive do her shopping and take her out for lunch sometimes,” Dufner said. A love of animals The owner of four cats, another thing she enjoys doing on her free time is playing the game “TREAT: Play and impact real dogs” on her cellphone via their app, which is another way that speaks to her love of animals in need. The game works by players first selecting a shelter dog by virtually adopting it, and then they play and earn real, free items that are sent directly to shelters from TREAT by Chewy for a real dog in need. From coast to coast, hundreds of shelters have applied to TREAT. The game is free to play with in-app purchases available. “We currently have a limited space, but we’re working on adding them all,” TREAT states on its website, www.treatva.com. “8,000,000 + treats, meals, medical items and toys have already (been) sent to the shelters.” Helped rescue over 3,000 dogs So far, TREAT has helped rescue over 3,000 dogs, some of which they have pictures posted on their website. Dufner has felt her personal impact as she has progress through the game. “So far, eight of my dogs have been adopted,” she said. When a player’s dog finds a home, they receive “+1” in points to earn more items to be sent to shelters. While some may be in a position to make a large contributions to their favorite charities and may seek professional help to determine how to take advantage of the tax benefits of doing so, the game of TREAT is another illustration as to how a group of people of all ages can come together to pool together for both local and national causes in which they believe, to help create positive change on an ongoing basis. Giving Tuesday, a global movement of generosity, takes place on Dec. 3 this year. (Pexels) These easily accessible opportunities show that you don’t have to wait for the global generosity movement known as Giving Tuesday, happening on Tuesday this year, to begin supporting the causes you believe in. More information About Wild Heart Ranch Located in Rogers County, Okla., Wild Heart Ranch is a state and federally licensed rehabilitation facility for all species of wildlife needing orphan support, injury treatment or disease recovery. With a dedicated staff of volunteers, board of directors and sponsors, Wild Heart is a place where all wild animals can receive professional medical and supportive care until they can be released back into the wild. At the end of 2022, more than 90,000 wild animals have left their facility with a second chance at survival. To find out more, visit: www.4thewild.org. About Giving Tuesday Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Join the movement and give, whether it’s some of your time, a donation or the power of your voice in your local community. It’s a simple idea: whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger, showing up for an issue or people we care about or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts and everyone has something to contribute toward building the better world we all want to live in. For more information: www.givingtuesday.org.