Southwest Washington’s 24-hour online giving marathon set for Sept. 19
VANCOUVER — The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington is powering its sixth-annual Give More 24! day of giving, scheduled for Thu., Sept. 19. The event runs from midnight to midnight and encourages local residents to join forces and give something more to local causes for 24 hours.
This year, those local causes include nearly 170 nonprofit organizations, which can be found online at givemore24.org. Visitors can search and filter by cause area or location to help identify nonprofits they would like to support on the day of giving. Cause categories include interests such as animal welfare, arts and culture, education, environment, health, housing, hunger, religion, social justice and veterans.
As the event’s name implies, gifts can actually give more during this 24-hour period. This is made possible thanks to hundreds of thousands of dollars in matching funds provided by individuals and businesses in the community. Matching gifts benefit particular nonprofit fundraising efforts during the day, but donations must be made through the event’s website givemore24.org in order to receive the eligible match.
Additionally, $16,000 in nonprofit prizes will be up for grabs. Each of the prizes will be available during certain time periods throughout the day, and are awarded based on specific goals and random drawings. Details about prizes and criteria can be found on the website as well at givemore24.org/prizes.
This year, the online event aims to raise $1.6 million for local causes in 24 hours and attract 4,200 donors. Last year, the event exceeded its $1.2 million goal thanks to contributions from nearly 3,700 donors — enough to stretch across the Interstate Bridge twice. Donors didn’t just come from southwest Washington either. Gifts came from a total of 40 states and nine countries, with the furthest hailing from Barbaza, Philippines (6,825 miles away).
To take part in this online giving marathon, visit the website on Sept. 19. On the day of giving, supporters can make charitable gifts to their favorite nonprofits via a highly secure, online credit card processor. Each donation will be tallied in real time, allowing everyone to watch and cheer on their favorite causes as the dollars roll in. The website also allows users to spread the word about specific causes by posting social media messages in support of their chosen charities.
This year, Give More 24! also offers businesses and individuals the ability to fundraise. Peer-to-peer fundraising allows individuals to fundraise for their favorite nonprofit by setting a personal goal and asking friends and family members for their support in giving. Business fundraising is a similar way for local companies to create incentives, contests and appeals that engage their employees and showcase their support for community causes. More information on how to get involved can be found at https://www.givemore24.org/info/get-involved.
Give More 24! was created by the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington as a local “giving holiday” that brings attention to pressing needs in our region and the vital nonprofits addressing them. In that spirit, every gift given during this event will stay local, because each of the participating nonprofits serves Clark, Cowlitz or Skamania Counties. Give More 24! offers a simple and rewarding way for residents to give and also builds community through its collective approach to giving. It also helps bring awareness and support to the nonprofit sector, because many donors give multiple gifts and some discover new nonprofits.
Information provided by Community Foundation for Southwest Washington.
