Chambana Sun

It's a day typically recognized on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, but because the COVID-19 pandemic has strained many nonprofit organizations whose missions are to help those in need, 2020's Giving Tuesday happened earlier this year. 

People from around the world are doing their part to give back in response to the increased need created by the global health crisis.  

Crisis Nursery in Urbana, for example, still has work to do. It provides child care, food, and virtual home visits. The coronavirus has changed its services and volunteers can't see as many families as they normally do. Social distancing has forced the organization to hold virtual fundraisers, and an event held a month ago only raised about 50% of what the same even typically brought in during past years. 

"Without those events and those funds, we have to find other ways to be able to raise those funds because we want to make sure we keep the doors to the nursery open," Ashley Morgan with Crisis Nursery told WCIA. The organization is hosting what's typically its largest money drive of the year next month, an event that's also been moved from in-person to online.

They're not the only organization feeling the pinch. The Eastern Illinois Foodbank said it's providing boxes of food to people who've never needed their help before, which means they're spending more money to keep up with the need.

"It's more important than ever that we have the support of our community right now," the Foodbank's Amanda Borden said.

Many other organizations participated in Giving Tuesday, including the Salvation Army, Northeast Community Fund, God's Shelter of Love, and Cunningham Children's Home.  The day of giving is just one day, but officials said the need will continue.