Make A Difference Day, also occasionally known as National Make A Difference Day, is an unofficial holiday or observance that places an emphasis on volunteerism and community service. This holiday is observed on the fourth Saturday of October and it’s a day that encourages everyone to get active in their community and do charitable works.

This is a holiday that’s been observed since the early 1990s and has been going strong every year. Every year, millions of people across the U.S. volunteer and perform various charitable projects for their communities, for those who are in need, and for charitable organizations.

The History Of Make A Difference Day

This holiday was founded in 1992 when USA Weekend, the second-largest national newspaper at that time, suggested to its readers that they should do something good for their community or for those in need.

They reasoned that since 1992 was a leap year, and therefore the year had an extra day, they should put it to good use for someone else. It didn’t take long for that idea to spread like wildfire and people began to observe it.

This holiday got its biggest push when Points of Light – an international nonprofit, nonpartisan organization decided to promote this holiday as well. Ever since then, it’s been a holiday that helps people to make a difference in their communities and the lives of others.

Facts About Charity & Giving

Below are some facts about charity and the act of giving that we think everyone observing this holiday is going to want to think about.

• December is usually the biggest month for charity.
• People can give money after their death by setting up a charity as a beneficiary on their life insurance policy.
• People who regularly give money to charity are happier than people who don’t.
• Between 2000 and 2012, giving around the world grew by over 225%.
• Studies have shown that the less a person makes the more likely they are to give. Low and middle-income people are more likely to give to charity than high-income people.

Customs & Traditions Of Make A Difference Day

People who observe this day take it upon themselves to perform some form of service for either their communities or for those in need. Some of the activities which have been performed on this day include painting the computer room of a local school, cleaning out the animal cages of a zoo, building community playgrounds, or cleaning parks.

Many volunteers also get together to raise funds for a variety of different charities. For example, in Palm Springs, runners often get together to run Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge to raise money for various charitable organizations.

This holiday is the perfect way for people to give something back to the communities in which they live, work and/or play. Anyone can participate in this day by picking an area of need that exists in their community and then finding a way to fix it

. This allows the person to not only give back, something that always makes a person feel better, but also helps to improve the communities for the people living in them.