Give Local Solano doing its part to help community
Site has 28 non profits to donate to
The calendar is full of special days this week, including Thanksgiving on Thursday, when people will gather together and say how much they are thankful for each other. Then on Black Friday those same people will reenact the film “Braveheart” and rip each other’s arms out in order to grab a cheap television or video game system that will likely be obsolete the following year. Saturday is a day for small businesses and Monday is called Cyber Monday for online orders.
However, the end of the year is often called “the season of giving,” and Tuesday exemplifies that trait the best.
Dec. 3 will be Giving Tuesday, a world-wide event that began in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation. While it’s celebrated globally, Give Local Solano is doing its best to help out nonprofit organizations.
Give Local Solano is a 24-hour, online giving event organized by the Solano Community Foundation to support nonprofits and help build a culture of philanthropy in Solano County. The site’s goal is to increase visibility and support of the important work and services nonprofits provide their communities, and their need for funding.
“I think it’s great to be part of something that is a world-wide event and on the same day that millions are giving to their favorite community we are doing the same,” Solano Community Foundation Development Assistant Samantha Fordyce said. “I feel like I’m part of something that is happening world wide.”
Sindy Harris, who is a volunteer at Benicia Tree, also loves donating and sharing information about the event and the organization — Give Local Solano.
“I think this year I’ve always believed is more about giving than receiving,” Harris said. “It’s the perfect time to donate, at the start of the month before all your money is gone from shopping.”
The organization began in 2016 but has grown over the last four years. In 2018 the group helped raise $8,000 to all the nonprofits. This year the group is hoping for even more success.
Connie Harris, CEO of Solano Community Foundation, said this about the campaign in a news release, “We’ve led this giving effort in the past with notable challenges. Our goal this year is to increase the number of donations made this giving day and through the end of the year. We hope to raise $100,000 overall with our participating nonprofit partners, which is achievable when you consider
there are about 350,000 adults in Solano County. If just half of the total adult population gave $10 each, it would result in $1,750,000 raised for Solano County residents.”
Anyone can make a donation to a registered nonprofit on the www.GiveLocalSolano.org website, whether you live in the area or not. The site then breaks down the nonprofits into 12 categories which include Animals & Wildlife, Arts & Culture, Community Resilience, Domestic Violence, Economic Inequality, Education & Scholarships, The Environment, Health & Wellness, Housing & Homelessness, Veteran Services, Workforce Development and Youth Enrichment.
The participating nonprofits each have a donation (profile) page where you can choose the amount you want to donate and fill in the donation form.
“I’m really excited for the day because it is a day of giving and it’s nice to give to all the hardworking groups,” Sindy Harris said. “Last year Give Local Solano raised $10,000 (it was closer to $8,000) and that money, you can do a lot for the community with that
much money.”
Last year Solano Land Trust was the nonprofit with the most money donated to them as the group received 31 donations for $3,715. Nonprofit Partnership Program received $925 thanks to 11 donations, while Suisun Marsh Natural History Association received 10 donations for $545.
Fordyce is also thrilled with how far Give Local Solano has come in four years.
“I’m very pleased with it,” Fordyce said. “It’s the result of hard work of several people.”
List of nonprofits
The list of nonprofits one can donate to on this site include the following
• Aldea Children & Family Services
• Benicia Community Action Council
• Benicia Tree Foundation
• Camp Fire Golden Empire
• Children’s Network of Solano County
• Choice in Aging
• Club Stride Inc
• Connections For Life
• Downtown Theatre
Foundation for The Art
• Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network
• Fighting Back Partnership
• Humane Society of the North Bay
• KOL Education Foundation
• NAMI Solano County
• Nonprofit Partnership Program (NPP)
• Operation: Care and Comfort
• Solano County Library Foundation
• Solano Family & Children’s Services
• Solano Land Trust
• Solano Valley Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
• SpiritHorse Riding Center of San Francisco Bay Area
• Sugar’s Gift, Inc,
• Suisun Marsh Natural History Association
• Sustainable Solano
• The Vacaville Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club
• Vacaville Public Education Foundation (VPEF)
• Vallejo Community Arts Foundation
• Water and Education International (WEI)