In Pasadena, Giving Tuesday Finds Fertile Ground in a City Defined by Its Nonprofits

When Club 21 Learning and Resource Center exceeded its $425,000 fundraising goal this year, reaching 105 percent of its target, the Pasadena nonprofit was not celebrating a one-day windfall. The organization had strategically timed its annual walk during Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October, then kept donations open for a full month to capture the momentum of Giving Tuesday, which falls on December 2.

“Because Giving Tuesday falls so close to our event, we’ve found that aligning our efforts with Giving Tuesday leads to greater success,” said Linda Lohmeyer, the organization’s event coordinator.

That calculated approach reflects how Pasadena, a city of approximately 140,631 residents better known for roses and the Rose Bowl, has embraced Giving Tuesday with particular intensity.

“It is frequently stated that Pasadena has more charitable organizations per capita than any other city in the country,” former Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard told Pasadena Now in 2022. “Pasadena has over 1,200 active nonprofits.”

That density has transformed what began as a national response to post-Thanksgiving consumerism into something approaching a local institution, even as it remains, notably, without formal municipal recognition.

The day shows many Pasadenans believe that giving is as good ass (or better than) getting, and has become a community-led, nonprofit-anchored tradition.

The stakes have grown considerably since GivingTuesday’s founding in 2012 by New York’s 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation. According to a joint report from the Blackbaud Institute and GivingTuesday, the movement generated an estimated $3.6 billion in donations from approximately 36 million participants nationwide in 2024, a 16 percent increase from the previous year. Cumulative giving since 2012 has exceeded $18.5 billion.

In Pasadena, the day has become a proving ground for divergent fundraising strategies. Friends In Deed, which operates programs addressing homelessness, food insecurity and eviction prevention, has cultivated a business-partnership model anchored by Lavender & Honey Espresso Bar, which donates 50 percent of its Giving Tuesday sales to the organization.

“This year, we’re thrilled to continue our longstanding Giving Tuesday tradition with Lavender & Honey,” said Dani Vinokurov, the organization’s development manager for marketing and communications. “Their leadership sets a powerful example of how local businesses can uplift neighbors in need.”

Other organizations have deployed matching campaigns that multiply donor impact.

Pasadena Humane’s 2025 campaign converts each dollar donated into five dollars for animal care, backed by the Sterling Pile Trust, with matching funds capped at $100,000. The regional animal welfare organization has run similar structures in previous years, including a 2022 campaign that quadrupled donations toward a $75,000 goal.

AbilityFirst, which serves people with disabilities, has structured its appeal around specific program costs: $50 funds one community excursion, $500 covers a month of job coach transportation, and $1,000 provides a full year of public transit access.

“People with disabilities often experience isolation and exclusion from the broader community,” said David Ortiz, the organization’s marketing and communications manager. “By facilitating participation in local events, social gatherings, and volunteer opportunities, we enable them to build relationships, explore new experiences, and feel valued as active members of their community.”

The timing of Giving Tuesday, arriving as temperatures trend cooler and holiday financial pressures mount, carries particular urgency for organizations addressing basic needs.

“This winter, we anticipate deeper needs across the board: more households seeking food assistance, more women looking for a safe daytime refuge, more people living outdoors who need outreach, and more families on the brink of losing their housing,” Vinokurov said.

The pattern of giving extends beyond social services, to include schools, museums, and other categories of nonprofits.

Research suggests these investments in donor cultivation pay long-term dividends. According to the Blackbaud Institute-GivingTuesday report, 65 percent of 2024 Giving Tuesday donors gave again in 2025, compared with a 52 percent repeat-gift rate among all donors.

Bogaard, the former mayor, has framed the day as an expression of civic character.

“Charitable donations are a major and a distinguishing feature of life in this community,” he said. “My hope is that this year’s Giving Tuesday will once again demonstrate the generosity of the people of Pasadena.”

Giving Tuesday 2025 falls on Tuesday, December 2.