It’s Time for a Big Giving Day for Delaware

Individual donors are the lifeblood of nonprofits everywhere. While we often focus on foundations, businesses and the government, the reality is that individuals account for almost 60% of all charitable giving to Delaware’s nonprofits. So everything and anything we can do to make it easier for individuals to give is a right thing to do.

That’s why the re-energized Delaware giving day – called Do More 24 Delaware – is a very positive development. The program – running from 6 p.m. on Thursday March 5 until 6 p.m. on March 6 – will involve more than 200 nonprofits, and is being coordinated by Spur Impact and the United Way of Delaware. Nonprofits across the state are encouraged to invite their supporters to donate through the DoMore24Delaware.org website (which builds on United Way of Delaware’s earlier giving day, and utilizing Spur Impact’s Delaware Gives platform).

The DCF has contributed to a stretch pool – of $40,000 and growing! – that will ensure every donation will be worth more than the original gift. Additional prizes will be offered throughout the 24 hours.

Other states and cities have thriving giving days, and this partnership is an opportunity to see that here, too.

The amount of money donated to nonprofits in Delaware is more than funding from government, corporations, and foundations combined. These donations support the nonprofits that everyone typically thinks of, such as churches, colleges, and disaster relief organizations. But donations are just as vital to those community focused organizations that many forget are also nonprofits.

For example, thousands of animals are taken in and later adopted each year from nonprofit animal shelters. Most of the 10,000+ babies born in Delaware each year are born in nonprofit hospitals. Tens of thousands of students enrolled in Delaware schools benefit every day from after school activities, summer camps, and music, arts, and athletics programs run by nonprofit organizations. These nonprofits would be unable to function without support from individual philanthropists.

Most donors to these nonprofit organizations are giving what they can when they can, and often in small amounts. These donations matter just as much as the larger ones, because they show breadth of support, and because they are part of the fabric of giving in our communities. And sometimes, those small gifts turn into larger gifts as donors get more familiar with, and more confident in, an organization.

So whatever organization you support, check out the website and make a gift. Your support will be appreciated, and it will make an impact.

We invite you to support your favorite nonprofit on Delaware’s giving day in March. Learn more or donate to Do More 24 Delaware on March 5 – 6 at DoMore24Delaware.org.