Giving event encourages philanthropy
Published 9:22 pm Monday, May 2, 2016
Nearly 20 organizations in Suffolk and Western Tidewater are participating in a regional philanthropy campaign happening Tuesday.
Give Local 757 is a collaborative effort of local community foundations to harness the power of online fundraising. It was created by the Peninsula Community Foundation in 2014 and in that year raised $190,000 in unrestricted funds for 107 local nonprofits in just 24 hours.
It grew in 2015, adding the Southeast Virginia Community Foundation and raising $430,000 for 155 nonprofits.
This year’s event has expanded to include the Hampton Roads Community Foundation and aims to raise $1 million for more than 200 nonprofits.
The Suffolk-area nonprofits participating include:
- ACCESS College Foundation
- American Diabetes Association
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia
- The Children’s Center
- Communities in Schools of Hampton Roads
- The Genieve Shelter
- Girls on the Run South Hampton Roads
- Healthy Suffolk
- Isle of Wight Academy
- Nansemond-Suffolk Academy
- Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia
- Straighten Up and Fly Right
- Suffolk Education Foundation
- Suffolk Humane Society
- Suffolk Literacy Council
- Western Tidewater Community Services Board
- Western Tidewater Free Clinic
- Windsor Castle Park Foundation
- YMCA of South Hampton Roads
Supporters should visit www.givelocal757.org to make their donations by debit or credit card. They can also go to any Langley Federal Credit Union branch to give checks or cash during branch hours.
There is a minimum donation of $10. All donations will be paid to the chosen charity net of credit card transaction and processing fees, according to the website.
A number of incentive prizes are sponsored by local banks and other companies and planned to be awarded to organizations. The three organizations with the highest numbers of unique donations will receive $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 each.
A 50/50 prize of $1,000 will go to each of the five organizations that are the first to receive 50 unique gifts of $50 or more.
Prizes are also planned for organizations that receive the highest numbers of new donors, the first-time participant with the highest number of unique donations, the nonprofit with donations from the most U.S. states and more.
You can help your favorite organization possibly win a prize if you are the first donation of the event after midnight or if your donation is closest to 5:05 a.m., 6:08 a.m. (sunrise), 7:57 a.m. or 7:57 p.m. The last donor of the event will also garner a prize for the organization he or she supported.
A variety of other prizes are planned. A full list is available at www.givelocal757.org.