Donate a Day’s Wages to Charity Day is celebrated every year on the second Wednesday in the month of May and this year the celebrations will be held on May 10. The day is set apart to show kindness to the less privileged in society and to donate to charity organizations across the world. This holiday was created by a married couple called Eugene and Minhee Cho in 2009. On this day, some organizations host some events for fundraising, where people donate money, volunteer to help out or share their professional experiences with others for free.
History of Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day
Donate a Day’s Wages To Charity Day is part of the “One Day’s Wages” (O.D.W) movement, which was started back in 2009 by Eugene Cho and his wife, Minhee in Seattle, Washington. Cho is the founding pastor and former senior pastor of ‘Quest Church.’ The couple had saved for three years and opened a Facebook group called “Fight Global Poverty” to be able to make an initial investment of $68,000 to their dream of helping to fight one of the world’s most deadly plagues — poverty.According to Cho, the dream of O.D.W started when he visited Myanmar in 2006. He saw the state of the schools there and heard how much the teachers were paid annually. In an interview, Cho said: “We are neither poor nor rich. We’re simply a middle-class family with privilege because we have so many opportunities that many in the world do not have.” When he was asked about the extreme poverty in the world and his reasons for deciding to go ahead with his plans, he continued by saying, “It shouldn’t be this way and doesn’t have to be this way. We can end extreme global poverty.”Since “One Day’s Wages” began, it has grown to become an international movement, as they now have donors supporting different charity projects in more than 44 countries around the world. Apart from raising donations, it has also offered a platform for charity and nonprofit organizations to talk about their essence and goals. It is also a day to celebrate the transparent and trustworthy charity organizations in the world and to appreciate volunteers, donors, and partners who go out of their way to share their passion for charity.
Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day timeline
Eugene Cho conceives the idea of starting O.D.W after visiting Myanmar and seeing the terrible state of the schools there.
Eugene Cho and his wife, Minhee start the O.D.W movement by creating a Facebook group — “Fight Global Poverty.”
Eugene and Minhee Cho start Donate A Day's Wages To Charity day with an investment of $68,000.
Eugene Cho steps down as senior pastor of Quest Church to fully concentrate on the charity.
Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day FAQs
Does Eugene Cho and his family do all the work at O.D.W?
No. They have an intern and volunteer team, a board of directors, and an advisory board, of which Eugene Cho is the President.
Apart from child education and supporting the less privileged, what other work does O.D.W do?
They also support the fight against human trafficking and gender-based violence.
Is O.D.W running donations for the victims of the Ukraine - Russia war too?
Yes and this can be found on the organization’s website.
How to Observe Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day
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Donate a day's wages
The best way to celebrate Donate A Day's wages To Charity is to donate one day's wages to charity, whatever that amount means to you. Visit a charity home today to donate. You can also donate online!
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Volunteer your time
Many charity and non-profit organizations will have a lot of activities running throughout the day. You can offer to be a volunteer and help in any way you can.
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Use the hashtag
Let everyone know what today is! Post a link to our article online and don't forget to use the hashtag #DonateADay'sWagesToCharityday.
5 Interesting Facts About The Cho Family
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The Cho children are also heroes
Much isn't said about them but the children of Eugene and Minhee Cho also played big roles in starting and running O.D.W.
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The Cho’s have made an additional investment
In 2010, Eugene Cho and his family gave a further $100,000 to the O.D.W cause.
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Enormous amounts have been raised for projects
Since its start in October 2009, O.D.W has raised over $8 million for projects across over 44 countries.
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Cho is an American hero
For his entrepreneurial work, Eugene Cho has been honored as one of the “50 Everyday American Heroes.”
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Cho was on the Frederick Douglass List
Eugene was also honored as part of the 200 people to appear on the Frederick Douglass list around the world.
Why Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day is Important
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Global poverty can be defeated
Eugene Cho had to visit Myanmar to find out about the terrible state of things. There are so many other places like this and worse. This holiday inspires us to do our part, no matter how little, to make a difference.
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Giving is a blessing
This holiday teaches us that giving is a blessing. Being able to give what we have to others is one of the greatest privileges in life.
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Helping the less privileged
So many kids do not have the opportunity to experience the good things of life because of where they were born. We can make the lives of these kids better when we donate.
Donate a Day's Wages To Charity Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | May 11 | Wednesday |
| 2023 | May 10 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | May 8 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | May 14 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | May 13 | Wednesday |
