Nearly three dozen local organizations will participate in the Richmond Community Foundation’s region-wide “Amazing Raise,” a 36-hour online giving opportunity to be held from 6 a.m. Sept. 18 through 6 p.m. Sept. 19.
Amanda Taylor of the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center said the program, which began three years ago, was designed to give people who can’t afford to donate large amounts a chance to make a real difference for a favorite local organization. The effort seeks to promote charitable giving across a wider swath of society than just those who can afford to give thousands of dollars at a time.
Therefore, not only do organizations receive the funds that are donated in their names, but they also compete for prizes that are given throughout the day to organizations that have the most people supporting them. It’s not necessarily about the organizations that raise the most money, said Taylor, but about the organizations that have the most people donating in their names.
“It’s not about the most money,” she said. “It’s about the most donors. It’s really exciting. They keep you updated constantly the whole 36 hours and you get so excited. You think, ‘if only we can get just two more people!’ It’s just so much fun.”
In addition to the top three prizes—a grand prize of $20,000, a second-place prize of $15,000, and a third prize of $10,000, all awarded for the most individual donations received, a challenge prize of $2,500 will go to each of the first 15 organizations that receive 50 individual donations of $50 or more.
There are also at least 17 bonus prizes of $1,000 each for organizations that meet certain participation criteria, such as receiving the most donations during lunch break, or closest to Richmond’s sunset time of 7:13 p.m. that day, or during coffee break from 9-10 a.m. There’s even a procrastinator’s prize of $2,500 for the most donations received between 5 and 6 p.m. Sept. 19. The minimum donation for all of these prizes is $25, said Taylor.
Taylor said that every organization participating had to go through an extensive application and vetting process, and the Richmond Community Foundation, which covers not only Richmond but also the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck, keeps expenses for the fundraiser at no greater than 6 percent of the proceeds. All donations are tax deductible, she said, and the online donation process is “totally secure.”
“It’s just a way to encourage lifetime philanthropy on a small scale,” said Taylor. She suggested that because there are so many organizations participating and the competition is fierce, each organization should pick one prize to concentrate on. Last year, the Bay School in Mathews won the newcomer’s award for having 200 individual donations, she said. The $25,000 top prize went to an organization that had 856 individual donations.
To donate, visit www.donaterichmond.org between the hours of 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18 and 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, select the preferred organization, and use a credit card to give $25 or more. While a person may contribute to more than one organization, said Taylor, second donations to any individual organization won’t count toward prizes. They will, however, still benefit the organization.
Local organizations participating are: American Red Cross Gloucester County Chapter, Animal Care Society, Bay School Community Arts Center, Bread for Life Community Food Pantry, Concerts by the Bay, Court House Players, Fairfield Foundation, Friend of the Dragon Run, Friends of the Mathews Memorial Library, Friends of Ware Neck Store, Giving Garden Foundation, Gloucester Arts on Main, Gloucester County Friends of the Library, Gloucester Historical Society, Gloucester Housing Partnership, Gloucester-Mathews Free Clinic, Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society, Gloucester Montessori School, Habitat for Humanity of Gloucester-Mathews, Hands Across Mathews, Laurel Shelter, Literacy Volunteers of Gloucester, Mathews County Historical Society, Mathews County Land Conservancy, Mathews County Triad, Mathews County Visitor and Information Center, Mathews Lions Charity Foundation, Mathews Maritime Foundation, Mobjack Rowing Association, Park Partners, Rosewell Foundation, The Salvation Army, The Samaritan Group, and Virginia Institute of Marine Science Foundation.