One of my favorite aspects of my job at Central Carolina Community Foundation is helping plan the community’s 24-hour online giving day event, Midlands Gives. The Community Foundation has hosted Midlands Gives for the last three years and each year it has grown by leaps and bounds. This past year, the event raised over $1.6 million for 360 local nonprofits!
This past summer, I was blessed to be promoted at the Community Foundation to Strategic Initiatives and Communications Manger, adding the new responsibility of overseeing and managing the entire Midlands Gives planning process. As I begin to take on this new challenge, I wanted to share some of the many valuable lessons this event has taught me through the last few years.
Everyone can be a philanthropist. You don’t have to be rich or famous to make an impact in your community. Everyone has something to give and that something can make a bigger difference than you realize. You can give of your time, offer your talents , use your network to share about important causes, or give a donation of gently used items or money. One aspect of Midlands Gives that I love is how it opens doors to people, allowing them to find new causes they care about and raise awareness of how they can help.
Every donation counts and collectively makes a huge impact. During this past year’s event, over 7,000 people made a donation, adding up the $1.6 million. Many of these donations were less than $100 and collectively added up to make a huge impact for local nonprofits. No donation is too small- any amount you are able to give will make a difference and impact your community.
Our community is made up of thousands of philanthropists who care. Midlands Gives has shown me how incredibly generous and caring people in our community are. The outpouring of support and enthusiasm for each of the nonprofits participating, the social media shout-outs and the genuine excitement for the day all shows how big of a heart people in our community have. The community truly comes together during the event, cheering on nonprofits and encouraging friends and family to join in to help see the leaderboard numbers climb. Through the least three years we have seen this event bridge gaps in the community-everyone plays together-from the nonprofits to the media to the corporations sponsoring thousands of prizes to incentivize giving.
Giving days happen all across the nation at different points in the year. Nonprofit Marketing Guide has a great list if you are looking for one in your area. As for the Midlands of SC, mark your calendar for another great year on May 2, 2017!
P.S. What causes do you like to give to? Tell me in the comments below.
The Cherished Notebook 
I volunteer with the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Action Network (ACS CAN). ACS CAN is a group of grassroots advocates that lobby for legislation that benefits cancer patients and their families. I’m a scientist, so I’m big into research funding! :). Great post, keep it up!
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