Donations go to better Southwest Washington and provide help for those in need
VANCOUVER — Tomorrow, close to 230 nonprofits will aim to raise $2 million during Give More 24!, Southwest Washington’s largest day of giving. Organizers are hoping in a year of adversity, the event offers residents an outlet to come together, assist others and effect change.
The 24-hour giving marathon, which is organized by the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington (CFSWW), encourages charitable giving in southwest Washington by making it easy to find, support and celebrate local nonprofits.
This year, a record 229 organizations serving people in Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania Counties have registered to participate, which Community Foundation President Jennifer Rhoads attributes to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This day allows everyone to make a difference from a distance,” Rhoads said. “As part of the collective effort to prevent the coronavirus, nonprofits have shifted fundraising to the virtual world and Give More 24! offers a perfect outlet for connecting with local donors.”
Give More 24! also encourages donations by allowing people to ‘give more’ as the event’s name suggests. This is because donations made through the website are eligible for more than $800,000 in matching funds, which double donations to certain nonprofits.
In addition, 12 prizes of $1,500 will be awarded to participating nonprofits throughout the day based on specific goals and timeframes. Prize and match details can also be found online at givemore24.org.
As people give, the website tracks every dollar, gift and donor in real-time and tallies the progress of each nonprofit and cause area on a leaderboard. The website also allows people to create their own personal fundraising pages where they can rally friends and family around a participating nonprofit.
“Community and compassion are the best antidotes for the loneliness and fear that many of us are feeling,” Rhoads said. “This event helps spread those good vibes. It empowers us to amplify the good things happening in our communities.”
In addition to the website, people can also come together through a variety of virtual events and via social media. The event lineup for Thursday includes a talent show, a comedy hour, an interactive concert, networking events and trivia games.
“Personal connection has always been an important part of Give More 24! and we are excited to see it continue in new ways this year,” Rhoads said. “More than ever, we need to come together and build community, especially in ways that uplift the common good.”
Give More 24! provides ways to support a wide array of causes that improve southwest Washington, including animals, arts and culture, education, healthcare, housing, hunger, social justice and the environment.
Clark College Foundation is one of the organizations participating in this year’s Give More. To help them get there, generous sponsors provided $8,000 in challenges and matches.
The foundation sees online days of giving as successful because of networks. You can help them grow their network by sharing the news of the event with others in the Clark College community.
Share Vancouver is another organization participating in the fundraiser this year. Community members can help them win a $25,000 grant from State Farm Neighborhood Assist. Share is the only finalist in the area.
People can vote up to 10 times, every 24 hours from Sept. 23 to Oct. 2 at neighborhoodassist.com/entry/2033947. You only have to log-in once each day.
The funds would support the organizations backpack program, allowing them to serve more children & ensure that they are not put on a waiting list to receive weekend food packs.
Donations to Share will be matched up to $39,864. Share outlined how even small quantities of the funds would be spent if they receive the grant, as well as Give More donations:
- $20 could cover the cost to replace a lost ID card removing one barrier toward finding affordable housing.
- $40 could provide 8 children with a bag of nutritious food decreasing anxiety for families living on a limited budget.
- $75 could honor our 75 essential, client-facing staff who each day serve clients face-to-face, with compassion & dedication.
- $133 to support our daily, free to-go meals for which the need has increased 133% from February to August.
- $297 in honor of the 297 dedicated volunteers who continue to serve our community during this crisis.
The CFSWW also laid out some basic information for those wishing to donate this week:
- Who: Anyone can support local causes with a minimum donation of $5
- What: A 24-hour online giving marathon that benefits nearly 230 nonprofits serving the region
- When: Sept. 24, 2020 from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59:59 p.m.
- Where: Donate at home, at work or while on vacation by visiting givemore24.org
