The most closely watched day on the charitable calendar is getting a midyear edition—because, honestly, the world needs it right now.

The organizers behind #GivingTuesday announced last month the creation of #GivingTuesdayNow, which will take place on May 5. The event, which the organizers call “a global day of giving and unity,” is bringing together dozens of major charitable organizations, including the United Nations, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the CDC Foundation, United Way Worldwide, Global Impact, Teach for All, and many others. Additionally, the organization will also rely on a number of media partners, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Guardian News and Media, and NBC News.

#GivingTuesdayNow, targeted specifically at COVID-19, comes as charitable organizations are particularly struggling due to the economic shutdown. A recent Charity Navigator survey of nonprofits found that 83 percent of organizations say that they’re seeing financial challenges due to the pandemic, while 64 percent of respondents said they were required to cut services. Despite this, roughly half of respondents (50.2 percent) reported an increased demand for their services.

Beyond helping to raise money, the organization is emphasizing goals of togetherness with the event.

“As a global community, we can mourn this moment of extreme crisis while also finding the opportunity to support one another,” GivingTuesday CEO Asha Curran said in a news release. “We each have the power to make an impact with acts of generosity, no matter how small, and to ensure the sustainability of organizations and services that are crucial to the care and support of our communities.”

The event, which is drawing interest from all corners, comes at a time when there is a push for those who still have jobs to donate what they can to charity. A recent Marketplace report noted that many nonprofits are seeing increased donations as a result of the federal stimulus, a trend that has emerged in the past. It’s something that #GivingTuesday has witnessed as well, according to the organization’s chief data officer, Woodrow Rosenbaum.

“What we’re hearing from our partners is that there’s significant interest in people giving within their communities—both geographically, literally where they live, as well as the way they define their broader community,” Rosenbaum told Marketplace. “These campaigns tapping into the stimulus check might be an effective way of getting people who don’t need it to be able to give more.”

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