If only everyone were a little bit more like Sophia Bush! The former Chicago P.D. actress has had a longtime love affair with advocacy and charitable work, and the 2018 holiday season is no different! This year, she’s teaming up with Paypal for the second time to help fans make the most of Giving Tuesday, and she chatted all about it in an exclusive interview with Life & Style.

If you’re not familiar with Giving Tuesday — which happens on Nov. 27 this year — Sophia wants fans to know that it’s the perfect time to help others during the busy holiday season. “We’re constantly stressed and hustling and distracted, so to have a day to remind us to slow down and look outward, and especially during the holidays where we’re focused on gift giving and receiving, I know from personal experience that it’s the giving of time and money and energy to people who need it that’s the most fulfilling,” she explained.

If that sounds overwhelming to you, Sophia and Paypal are here to help. “One of the questions I get a lot is where do I start?” said Sophia. “That’s why I get so excited to work with PayPal on Giving Tuesday. They do this incredible charitable push, last year they raised $64 Million for charity. Game changer!” To make it easy, you can go to PayPal.com/GiveBack, where the company has aggregated a bunch of trustworthy charities that you can search by area or topic. But it doesn’t just make it easy to donate, it multiplies your donation, too!

“It’s amazing that they’re using their big business weight to increase what those donations look like,” Sophia explained. “On Giving Tuesday, Paypal matches all of the donations made through Paypal up to half a million dollars, which means we could raise $1 million in a day! Then the next day all the way through the end of the year they match 1% of all of donations, and that’s how you get to a number like we did last year. It’s incredible.” It really is!

View this post on Instagram

Thank you to all of these beauty-full humans who came to join our #LoveRally last night! What a gift each and every one of you is to each and every one of us! @togetherliveevents #TogetherLive

A post shared by Sophia Bush (@sophiabush) on

Deal of the Day Blue Bathing suit 4-7-24

Deal of the Day

This ‘Slimming’ Suit is Just $16 Today! View Deal

Sophia has a long history of volunteering and raising money, focusing on education advocacy, gender parity, and the environment, but this year she’s extra focused on our planet. “Especially with the environment and the disastrous effects of climate change with warmer temperatures and longer dry seasons, we see what’s happening in California with the wildfires. Our whole state is suffering, so all of my giving this year is going to the United Way of Ventura, with the incredible work they’re doing, it makes me cry big fat ugly tears. Dedicating resources to them feels really important.”

When it comes to talking about charity, Sophia is determined to use her voice to raise awareness. “I can’t imagine having a platform and not doing something important with it,” she explained. Keep up the good work, girl!