Area nonprofits are counting on next week’s Give Local Piedmont

The annual 24-hour fundraiser returns on Tuesday, May 3

Give Local Piedmont, a 24-hour online fundraiser that bene ts nonprofits across Rappahannock, Fauquier, Culpeper and Madison counties, is approaching its ninth annual event on May 3. To date, it has raised more than $7 million for dozens of nonprofits, and for many participants, this event is the biggest fundraising day of the year and can make or break an organization.

More than 150 nonprofits are registered for Give Local Piedmont this year, and they’re counting on the generosity of residents to help them continue their good work. Visit give local piedmont. org in the next few days to browse all of the nonprofits participants and learn more about them. Then on Tuesday, May 3, log on again any time between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. and select the nonprofit (s) to which you want to donate. The process is quick, simple, and secure, and every donation helps! Remember that all nonprofits will receive a portion of the PATH Foundation’s generous $100,000 bonus pool as well as have the opportunity to win additional prizes.

Here are a few examples of how Give Local Piedmont donations have impacted participating nonprofits.

RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY

The Rappahannock Animal Welfare League (RAWL) is committed to an energetic rescue program. Funded almost entirely through donations and largely staffed by volunteers, RAWL is offen the first stop for unwanted and stray dogs in Rappahannock; their adoption program seeks to rehabilitate and rehome every dog that comes to their door. Thanks to donor support, RAWL is able to vaccinate, spay/neuter, and microchip all dogs before adoption; and keep dogs sheltered, happy, and healthy for as long as it takes to nd their forever home.

FAUQUIER COUNTY

The Cli on Institute is dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of our region and protecting land and wildlife from the disruptions of climate change through conservation work, education, and deep research into best practices for farmers, government agencies, and other land management. Clifton Institute plants both literal and figurative seeds—they run educational programs for kids and adults to foster the next generation of nature protectors. In 2020, Clifton Institute planted 2,000 seeds from 79 species of native plants and served 631 students through 23 family hikes, 31 school programs, and 4 weeks of summer camp.

CULPEPER COUNTY

Since 1988, Culpeper Housing and Shelter Services (CHASS) has been providing rapid, immediate help to Culpeper residents facing homelessness. CHASS tackles homelessness in three ways: keeping people in their homes by helping cover expenses like utility bills and rent; providing permanent affordable housing for low-income families and nancial assistance for rapid re-housing; and sheltering people without homes in their 15-bed shelter. In 2020, CHASS permanently housed and/or prevented homelessness for 110 people and housed 260 people in hotels through the COVID-19 emergency hotel housing program.

MADISON COUNTY

For 39 years, Madison Emergency Services Association (MESA)

has been a critical part of life in Madison County. Through three main programs—a food pantry, a thrift store, and emergency material support—MESA lls the gaps that too many families would otherwise fall through. They cover needs that many of us may not even think of, like free lunches in the summer for kids who would normally get free lunch at school, or help paying for gas for folks to get to work. In 2020, MESA served 5,236 individuals through the food pantry and provided 772 individuals with emergency support for rent, utility bills, firewood, diapers, and more.

In each of the past two years, Give Local Piedmont has raised over $1 million for nonprofits. Mark your calendars for May 3 to ensure that milestone is reached again in 2022.