This year, Home for the Holidays: A Giving Tuesday Celebration on Tuesday, December 2nd, moves to the New Bern Farmers Market from 5:00–7:00 PM. It’s a new venue, a new feel, but continues to embrace the same mission: to celebrate local nonprofits and carry their work forward into the year ahead with generosity, compassion and inclusivity.
The event will feature over 50 Nonprofits from New Bern and the surrounding area, giving each of these organizations a time to shine and connect with one another and the entire New Bern community. Festivities will include a Giving Tree, live music, food trucks, hot cocoa and more!
Erin Langley, Chair of the New Bern Giv3 Committee explains that “GivingTuesday has always been about connection and community. As we’ve seen this event growing over the years, it felt like the perfect time to re-imagine how we gather. Moving indoors with a more festive, cozy setting, gives us a chance to bring people together in a new way while still honoring the mission of promoting global generosity and uplifting local nonprofits. We’re excited to offer something fresh that still holds onto the heart of what makes GivingTuesday in New Bern, and around the world, so meaningful.”
Looking Back to See the Impact
At last year’s event, Union Point Park buzzed like a hive as more than 50 nonprofits set up booths. Each one had its own story to tell: from feeding families, mentoring kids, protecting the environment, or helping cats find safe homes. What tied them together wasn’t just fundraising, but the chance to say, “Here’s why we matter. Here’s why we’re here.” And matter, they did. Thanks to local sponsors, over $10,000 was distributed equally among every participating nonprofit. That number may look neat on paper, but in practice, it translated into vet bills covered, dance shoes for kids who couldn’t afford them, and groceries delivered to families in need.
Faces of the Movement
For some, like Shayne Zepeda of the Craven-Pamlico TNR Project, last year marked a first appearance. Standing proudly behind a folding table with a hand-painted sign, Zepeda said, “Our organization just started in September, so we’re brand new, but we’re very happy to be here.” For them, the night wasn’t just about donations, it was about being seen, and about letting people know that help for animals now exists in the community. Others carried stories heavier than statistics. Sharon Lyons, who helped run the group’s foster kitten program, described what happened when they trapped a mother cat with her litter. “When we go out into a community area, and she’s got four or five little kittens that are already no longer nursing, what are you going to do?” she asked. Her voice softened. “Of course, you can’t leave them there in the cold to starve or die of disease.” For Sharon, each rescued kitten was a small act of defiance against despair. And for first-timers like Aniyah Simone, founder of Dazzling Dancers Inc., the event opened doors to friendships and partnerships. She came eager to network, and left with connections to fellow nonprofits who shared her passion for lifting up the next generation.
More Than a Night
While fundraising is important, Giving Tuesday is about something deeper. It’s about creating a space where generosity is contagious, and where one act of kindness sparks another. Giving Tuesday may be a global movement, but in New Bern, it feels like family. This December, the tradition continues in a new home at the Farmers Market. There will be food trucks, laughter, stories, and plenty of opportunities to connect with the organizations that keep our city’s heart beating strong. So bring your appetite. Bring your neighbors. And most importantly, bring your willingness to listen, share, and give.