SALISBURY – As this year’s Shore Gives More campaign gears up, organizers are encouraging community members to support local nonprofits.
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore will host its fifth annual online giving campaign, Shore Gives More. Each year, the organization provides a one-stop donation website for individuals wishing to give to any participating nonprofit serving Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset counties.
“You can give to one or as many charitable causes as you want,” said Erica Joseph, president of the Community Foundation.
Each year, the Shore Gives More campaign coincides with Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving celebrated in the U.S. on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Joseph said this year more than 80 local nonprofits will benefit from donations made on Dec. 3.
“Every year we have new organizations come on board and make the range of nonprofits participating that much more rich,” she said.
Joseph added the Community Foundation and its sponsors provide marketing materials, support and incentive prizes to participating nonprofits as they encourage people to give to their organization.
“I can’t overestimate how important it is to contribute,” she said. “A lot of nonprofit work is done through volunteers and donations, but they also need financial assistance to be sustainable. Our role is to help highlight why those financial contributions are important and make it easy for people to get involved.”
While the online donation portal is open for 24 hours on Dec. 3, Joseph said individuals can also schedule their contributions beginning on Nov. 25.
“This is an option for those who may not have the time to donate on Dec. 3,” she said. “The portal will open Nov. 25 and you can schedule your donations then. While it won’t come in until Dec. 3, it will be ready to go.”
Joseph said the Shore Gives More campaign has grown over the years.
The campaign was launched in 2015 and raised nearly $7,500 in its first year. Last year, local nonprofits collected more than $171,000 from more than 1,000 donors. Joseph noted that donations have ranged from $10 to $10,000.
“Everybody who gave has had a part in the success of the campaign,” she said.
Joseph added the campaign also attracts participants from around the U.S.
“We get donations through the Shore Gives More website from all over the country …,” she said. “You don’t have to be local to participate.”
And for those who can’t donate this year, Joseph encouraged them to spread the word.
“If you can’t give because you may have already made a financial contribution this year or it’s not in your budget, you can still share it …,” she said. “There are a lot of opportunities for people to help support the campaign even if they are not giving themselves.”
For more information on the Shore Gives More campaign, or to view the list of participating nonprofits, visit shoregivesmore.org.
“We hope people give as generously as they can,” Joseph said.
