Give NCW crowdsourcing effort nears $120,000 in community contributions
The second annual Give NCW campaign put on by the Community Foundation of North Central Washington is going gangbusters. The effort has raised more than $119,000 from local citizens and four nonprofit projects have been fully funded.
The campaign still has two weeks to go (it ends on Dec. 31) said Jennifer Dolge, the Director of donor services and communications for the community foundation. This novel community-driven fundraising effort leverages CFNCW’s regional impact grants and invites citizens to help fill the gap between support that the foundation provides to 25 nonprofit projects and the amount of funding needed by those organizations.
The four projects that have been fully funded are:
The Women’s Resource Center, which sought $25,000 in funding to help with case management. CFNCW contributed $12,500, and the community matched it.
Upper Valley MEND, which sought $15,000 to pay for a gleaning coordinator and provide transportation so that extra produce in our valley can be used to feed the hungry. CFNCW contributed $9,000 and the community gave $6,000.
Mountain Meadows in Leavenworth needed $14,000 for furniture in their memory care unit. CFNCW anted up $9,000 and the community came up with $5,000 to meet the need.
Columbia Valley Housing Association needed $10,000 for down payment assistance for single mothers, families with disabilities and hard-working families earning minimum wages. CFNCW gave $7,500 and the community contributed $2,500.
Dolge is a passionate advocate for making a difference in our communities. I asked her what fueled her passion and here’s what she said:
“If we want to make the world a better place, it starts right here at home,” said Dolge. “My own family has been so positively impacted by the nonprofit work in our community, it’s what makes living here so unique. At the foundation, we’re hoping that Give NCW helps to better educate people in our community on the importance of local nonprofit work and feel like they can be a part of it.”
Dolge said we’ve had gifts coming in from people in other states who have connections here and want to make a difference.
GiveNCW is a high priority for The Wenatchee World and our neighbors next door, KOHO radio. We’re doing weekly profiles of GiveNCW recipients and they are doing regular on-air interviews of those programs.
Dolge reminds us about Funday Mondays. Each time we donate on Mondays, our names are entered to win dollars from the foundation we can donate to a nonprofit of our choice. Last Monday, the amount won was $1,000, Dolge said. To participate and make our communities more successful, go to the givncw.org web site and check out the details on all 21 projects that still need our help. As Dolge says, every dollar counts. And 100 percent of the donation goes to the nonprofits — our friends at the foundation are donating the credit card fee costs.
GiveNCW is an example of North Central Washington communities and citizens at our best. Let’s continue to give until we get all 25 programs funded. Access givencw.org, scan through the projects to find a cause or causes you care about, and donate.
