Tuesday was a busy day for area nonprofits. For 24 hours, Give Local 757 accepted nonstop donations for a plethora of charitable causes.
“It was an amazing day,” said Tammy Flynn, director of philanthropy for the Peninsula Community Foundation.
The foundation launched Give Local 757 in 2014 with the intention of helping area nonprofits raise money. The annual event has since grown to become Hampton Roads largest fundraiser.
“It really does draw attention and exposure to causes that might not otherwise get that exposure,” Flynn said. She added that many of the organizations are relatively small, and the event functions as an umbrella to help them out.
“A lot of nonprofits have very limited staff and resources,” she said. “It’s a lot of work on their part.”
The organizers didn’t reach the event’s $1 million goal, but the total of more than $634,000 marked a $25,000 increase over their previous record haul. That’s “fabulous,” Flynn said.
They bounced back from issues last year, when the website’s platform provider went down. This interfered with the ability to receive donations, forcing a 24-hour extension.
This year, after much research and finding a new provider, there were no issues. Flynn estimated that about 90 percent of donations were submitted online. The rest came in the form of checks, most mailed in but a few dropped off in person.
The event awarded $55,000 in prize money toward dozens of organizations for their causes.
“It’s great to see a new organization that seizes the opportunity and gets new donors,” Flynn said.
The $5,000 grand prize went to Norfolk’s Muse Writers Center, which offers resources for writers of all ages. The center received the most unique donations in general, totaling over $14,000.
Williamsburg’s Heritage Humane Society raised almost $25,000, topping all the other nonprofits involved.
The foundation encouraged participating nonprofits to promote the event and their causes on social media. The vast web of shares, retweets and hashtags helped spread the word.
“We saw it as a tool,” Flynn said. “We have millions and millions of impressions on social media. It just shows you the power of coming together.”
Plans are already in motion for Give Local 757 to return next year and beyond.
“We’re going to continue to provide that opportunity to as many nonprofits that will have it,” Flynn said. “We’ll continue to do it every year.”
