Giving Day a moment to come together
The past two years have been hard for all of us — and they have been especially difficult for Fairfield County’s nonprofit community.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, our nonprofits face an ongoing strain amid spiking demand for services. The constant disruptions in everyday routines are taxing those who serve on the front lines throughout our community.
On Feb. 24, you can help these local heroes and provide critical support to your neighbors in need by contributing to your favorite cause on Fairfield County’s Giving Day, powered by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation.
As our region’s largest annual philanthropic event, Giving Day encourages individuals and families to support local causes during a 24-hour online giving event. For as little as $10, community members can support Fairfield County nonprofits. In fact, most individuals’ Giving Day contributions are less than $100.
The beauty of Giving Day is that it’s about community.
And when a community comes together around a common cause, each contribution becomes more powerful. Now, in its ninth year, Fairfield County’s Giving Day has raised $11.5 million since its inception — a figure that shows the collective power of this event. In 2021, nearly 400 Fairfield County nonprofits raised more than $2.25 million through contributions from 15,000 individuals and families.
Even better, the impact of this event goes beyond dollars raised.
When you donate to a charity of your choice on Feb.24, you’ll not only be supporting a local nonprofit, but you may also serve as a catalyst for family, friends, and those throughout our community to develop a habit of charitable giving.
Philanthropy is inspiring. Seeing others give makes an individual more likely to donate themselves — and gentle encouragement from an influential person in someone’s life can also motivate a charitable act.
Fairfield County’s Giving Day offers the optimal opportunity to accelerate our community’s participation in charitable giving. You can amplify your impact when you make a donation and let others know about it via social media or conversations, too.
For parents, grandparents, and caregivers, Giving Day offers a great way to engage your family and teach children the value and importance of giving — and prove that we all have the power to make a difference in our community.
By experiencing that power and feeling the satisfaction of helping others, individuals may be more inclined to donate regularly.
That type of movement is a game-changer for our community at a time in which joining together to help others has never been more important.
Every nonprofit adds value to our community. They support such pressing issues such as social justice, civic engagement, education, poverty, homelessness, and hunger. Their impact also reaches organizations that add meaning and joy to our lives through the arts, music, and preservation of our environment.
Many of these organizations have been operating in crisis mode for nearly two years. Navigating the ongoing pandemic has left them little time to focus on critical fundraising for survival, stability, and growth.
Giving Day helps relieve that burden. Through its Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation provides participating nonprofits with a full range of fundraising support. The assistance provided includes training on marketing and fundraising, best practices, organizing, promoting their efforts through an efficient online portal, and, ultimately, distributing the funds to the charities of each donor’s choice.
Fairfield County’s business community also plays a significant role in Giving Day’s considerable success. Since day one, Bank of America, Giving Day’s Champion Sponsor, has been committed to building vibrant communities where individuals and families can thrive and succeed.
In addition, more than a dozen local brands — representing businesses and organizations large and small — have already committed to sponsoring Giving Day. Along with Champion Sponsor Bank of America, sponsors include Hearst Connecticut Media Group, Moffly Media, The Jeniam Foundation, Optimum, KeyBank, TargetonStar, Fairfield County’s Center for Housing Opportunity, Webster Private Bank, Band Central, Connoisseur Media brands 95.9 The Fox, Star 99.9, WEBE108, and WICC, The Two Oh Three, and the following funds housed at Fairfield County’s Community Foundation: Back to You Fund, Immigrant Success Fund, and Fund for Women & Girls.
Fairfield County’s Giving Day is a rare moment for all of us to come together; that’s why we hope you’ll join us on Feb. 24 at FCGives.org to support this event and help us spread the word to your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.
Together, we can create one habit that isn’t meant to be broken: The habit of charitable giving.