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Today is #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving celebrated annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

Since its inauguration in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become the unofficial kickoff to the year-end/holiday charitable season.

For many, "giving back" simply means making a monetary donation to the charity of their choice.

However, we recognize that not everybody has the means to support their favorite causes financially. 

In celebration of #GivingTuesday, we've compiled 10 ways you can give back without breaking the bank.

Social workers spend so much of their time in the field visiting families and traveling between appointments. But workers don't have to be away from important information just because they're away from their computers.

Here are 35 apps that can help mobile social workers stay safe, save time, engage kids and adults, find resources for clients, and even deal with stress.

Here at Northwoods, we’re big believers that our past should always shape our future. This week, we’re sharing a little piece of Northwoods’ history—as told by our executive vice president and chief operating officer, Chris Carlson—to give you a glimpse into where we’ve been and where we’re heading. This is chapter 4 (here are chapter 1, chapter 2, and chapter 3 in case you missed them).

Here at Northwoods, we’re big believers that our past should always shape our future. This week, we’re sharing a little piece of Northwoods’ history—as told by our executive vice president and chief operating officer, Chris Carlson—to give you a glimpse into where we’ve been and where we’re heading. This is chapter 3 (here are chapter 1 and chapter 2 in case you missed them).

Here at Northwoods, we’re big believers that our past should always shape our future. This week, we’re sharing a little piece of Northwoods’ history—as told by our executive vice president and chief operating officer, Chris Carlson—to give you a glimpse into where we’ve been and where we’re heading. This is chapter 2 (here’s chapter 1 in case you missed it).

Here at Northwoods, we’re big believers that our past should always shape our future. This week, we’re sharing a little piece of Northwoods’ history—as told by our executive vice president and chief operating officer, Chris Carlson—to give you a glimpse into where we’ve been and where we’re heading. This is chapter 1.

National Association of Social Workers (NASW) launched this year’s Social Work Month campaign – Social Workers Stand Up! – “to educate the public about contributions of social workers and why the professional title of social worker is so important.” What better way to honor the amazing things social workers accomplish than by sharing the stories of the children and families they stand up for every day?

In honor of Social Work Month 2017, social workers from Carver County Health & Human Services and Sherburne County Health & Human Services told us about the children and families that have stuck with them over the years.

Editor's note: While the conferences on this list are still excellent, there's a newer version of this blog post you may want to check out instead. View the most recent list here.

Two key themes arise whenever we talk to customers about how they stay up-to-date on the key issues and trends impacting their agency and community:

1. Peer conversations and idea-sharing
2. Industry research and best practices

One of the best ways to get a double dose of both? Carving out time to attend conferences and events that not only have really amazing programming/sessions, but also build in plenty of time for attendees to network and discuss how they’re addressing key opportunities and challenges.

Readers, rejoice!

It’s that time of year where we recap the can’t-miss blog posts of the last 365 days.

Whether you’re looking for customer success stories, technology adoption tips, or inspiration to keep on file for the days when you need to recharge, this list has got you covered.

So grab your reading glasses, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and catch up on the top 6 Northwoods blog posts of 2016. Happy reading!

'Tis the season to celebrate and say thank you to the social workers in your life.

Whether you're shopping for a friend, family member or colleague, we've curated 50 gift ideas designed with social workers in mind.

Check out our Pinterest board, A Holiday Gift Guide for Human Services, for more inspiration, or keep reading for a sampling of ideas to get you started. Happy holidays!