For 24 hours Tuesday, residents’ donations to local nonprofits will get a big boost with the help of grant funds allocated to the Community Foundation for San Benito County.
San Benito Gives runs Tuesday and will benefit 32 nonprofits this year. With the help of a $50,000 grant from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the Community Foundation for San Benito County will match donations to participating nonprofits during the 24-hour period.
The campaign has a goal to raise $100,000 from the effort this year and was off to a good start by Friday with early donations coming in totaling about $8,000 with around 100 unique donors, said Sharlene Van Rooy, the marketing communications coordinator for the Community Foundation.
“This is an opportunity for the community to support their nonprofits — the ones they care about the most,” Van Rooy said.
She added how San Benito Gives makes that prospect particularly easy for donors.
Learn how to donate during San Benito Gives by going to sanbenitogives.razoo.com.
The number of nonprofits taking part this year is up from last year as well, Van Rooy noted. They will receive most of the $50,000 in grant funds from Monterey Peninsula Foundation, with the rest going toward prize money for participating nonprofits during the day and promotion of endowment funds, which is a big emphasis of the Community Foundation for San Benito County.
As for the prizes: According to the local foundation, participating nonprofits are eligible for cash prizes totaling $10,000 throughout the day. Three prizes will be go to nonprofits with the most unique donors at day’s end, including donations made in advance of the event through the fundraising platform. A dozen other cash prizes are available, and nonprofits will also receive matching funds based on their totals for the day.
Additionally, according to the Community Foundation in a press release, up to $10,000 will be available in a special 1:1 match for nonprofits that promote their endowment fund at the Community Foundation. The foundation announcement noted how the mechanism provides annual distributions for charitable work in perpetuity.
“By depositing a minimum of 20% of funds raised during San Benito GIVES to their endowment fund, nonprofits will receive a 1:1 match (up to $1,000). In addition, these nonprofits will also be eligible to receive a free video produced for their organization by San Benito Live,” according to the local foundation.
Participating Nonprofit Organizations Include:
San Benito County Arts Council
CASA of San Benito County
Community FoodBank
Chamberlain’s Children Center
San Juan-Aromas Tennis and Fitness
Community Foundation for San Benito County
Youth Alliance
Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Aromas
Pet Friends Rescue & Adoption
United Way of San Benito County
BenitoLink
Friends of the San Benito County Free Library
San Benito Agricultural Land Trust
Women’s Club of Hollister
Gabilan Kinship Center
San Benito County Historical Society
Community Focus Center
San Benito Stage Company
Emmaus House
Partnership for Children
Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation
San Juan Bautista Community Business Association
R.E.A.C.H. San Benito Parks Foundation
Pinnacles National Park Foundation
House of Suenos
Forgiving Paws
Sun Street Centers
Go Kids Inc.
Hollister Downtown Association
Jovenes de Antaño
San Benito County Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Suicide Prevention Service
