OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County, Inc.’s Give4Marion, Day of Giving, offers a 33-hour window for the community to support their favorite nonprofit.
It will be an opportunity for people to donate to the nonprofits of their choice on the website Give4Marion.org, beginning at 10 a.m. on Sept. 16 a.m., with the window closing on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.
The importance of giving back has taken on greater gravitas with resources not being as abundant as they once were, however, it also allows individuals to make their own choices and achieve the desired results they’d like to see in the community.
“It’s been a common thread that we’ve been discussing not only here with staff, but what we’re seeing with other nonprofits, nonprofits are kind of struggling,” said Lauren Deiorio, Community Foundation of Ocala executive director. “They have noticed that some of their donations are down. That’s probably kind of a correlation with what’s happening from an economic standpoint.
“We have a grant services department, and of course when the federal government put a pause on or froze or deleted a lot of those federal grant funds, and a lot of those nonprofits who were taking that money, are now scrambling to plug holes and fill gaps. I think more than ever right now for us with Give4Marion, the message is about impact and about how in a 33-hour period, it’s so important for everyone to be involved.”
Every dollar matters to those nonprofits who are providing noble and much needed assistance throughout the community, impacting lives in a variety of ways. Even the smallest contribution can play a role in making a significant difference in someone’s life.
“Some people would say by donating $10, how’s that going to make a difference,” said Deiorio. “You would be amazed how $10 especially during some of the time frames when we’re doing Matching Moments or there’s a prize being offered, that gift can be multiplied.”
However, generating awareness and understanding the significance of what the nonprofits do within the community to help improve the lives of others who in many cases are less fortunate or are in some cases facing monumental struggles, those resources that are available have diverse uses for the many programs they benefit.
“We really want to focus on getting the word and awareness out,” said Deiorio. “Everybody can make a difference. If we had to pick one time of year, just in this 33-hour period, to support a nonprofit that maybe a citizen out there believes in, or maybe if they look at the website and see several more, and it opens that door, I need to reach out to them, maybe I can volunteer or maybe there’s something I can do to help them with the expertise I have, that’s the main important thing. Of course, we want to see as much money raised in this community for Give4Marion, and 100% of it goes to the nonprofit. So, when you look at that rolling total during Give4Marion, none of that money comes out to the Community Foundation. It’s all going to the nonprofits.”
Deiorio is encouraging everyone in the community to consider giving a gift, but there are other ways that people can help a nonprofit by hosting an event, or a business who wants to give back in their own unique way.
“We’re super excited about it, now more than ever, the nonprofits need our assistance, and I’m trying to do whatever I can to reach out to as many groups as possible, encouraging them to help raise awareness as well as gifts,” said Deiorio.
If someone has questions about Give4Marion, you can contact the Community Foundation of Ocala/Marion County at their website at ocalafoundation.org.