A statewide event hopes to raise millions of dollars for more than 850 nonprofit organizations in a single day.
Thursday’s inaugural Alabama Gives Day will provide an online location for donating to charities. Alabamians can make a tax-deductible gift to one or more of the organizations at www.alabamagivesday.org.
Several local nonprofits will hold an expo from noon until 6 p.m. Thursday at Eagle Eye Outfitters, 3736 Ross Clark Circle in Dothan. Eagle Eye owner Susan Anderson said a 1,000-square-foot expo tent will be set up in the parking lot.
Anderson said each participating agency will have a table/booth with representatives on site to share information. For instance, Alfred Saliba Family Services Center will be doing community outreach to promote Healthy Marriage Month and Mentoring for Children.
Anderson said Eagle Eye will provide prizes and giveaways during the event.
Local service agencies confirmed so far include:
The Exchange Center
Wiregrass Area United Way Food Bank
Dothan Houston County Substance Abuse Partnership
Wiregrass Habitat for Humanity
Boys and Girls Club of the Wiregrass
Boys and Girls Club Hawk Houston
Alfred Saliba Family Services Center
Southeast Alabama Dance Company
The statewide event is patterned after fundraisers in other states that have raised up to $14.8 million in a single day.
The Gives Day movement began in Minnesota three years ago “as a means to increase philanthropy and help grow the individual donor base on nonprofits,” according to a statement from Alabama Gives Day.
The movement is relying on the media to raise awareness and publicize the event.
“Rarely do local TV, radio and newspaper groups have an opportunity to make such a large impact on behalf of dozens of nonprofits in their local communities in just one day,” said Russell A. Jackson, Gives Day manager for Alabama.
“Gives Day certainly makes for an interesting news story, but it’s more than that. This is a day to help fuel the nonprofits that make our state such a great place to live and to help jumpstart their 2012 efforts,” Jackson said.
The goal of the event is to help charitable organizations provide aid across Alabama.
“Donors will choose the nonprofit(s) they want to support from a list of 12 areas of interest, i.e. children and youth, animals, health, environment, etc.,” said Jackson. “It’s all about connecting them to the missions they are most passionate about, and hopefully to a nonprofit they’ve never supported.”
Among the local nonprofits people can donate to are: Ozark-Dale County Humane Society, Wiregrass United Way 2-1-1, United Way Food Bank, the Houston County Rescue Unit and Southeast Alabama Youth Services. Visit the website to find the names of other organizations.
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