Podcast: The ‘Great Give’ Starts Tuesday, May 6

The Valley Indy stopped by the Valley Community Foundation’s offices in Derby recently to talk with VCF President Sharon Closius in advance of The Great Give 2014,” a 36-hour fundraiser for local nonprofit groups that starts on Tuesday, May 6.

We spoke with Closius about how the VCF is preparing for this year’s fundraiser, what it means to be a nonprofit struggling for funding in difficult economic times, and what the VCF does to help out such groups.

This year’s Great Give starts at 8 a.m. May 6 and goes to 8 p.m. May 7.

Click the play button below to listen to the podcast.

For more information about the event, CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE.

MORE LINKS:

The event will be the third annual Great Give for the VCF, which matches donations made by Valley residents to local nonprofits.

FILEThat means the cash you donate goes twice as far toward helping nonprofits in the area, as Closius points out during the podcast.

In addition to matching donor dollars, the VCF also creates several special prizes up for grabs during the Great Give.

Another promotion for this year’s fundraiser: two nonprofits nominated by the community will receive $1,000 apiece before the Great Give even begins.

There are plenty of organizations that could use your help — and the community foundation has organized them all into a searchable database.

The Valley Indy, for instance — the two-person, nonprofit independent news site you’re reading at this very moment — raised more than $2,700 during last year’s event.

That money brought you democracy in action — the cash bought a video camera we used to record a mayoral debate in Ansonia, and paid for us to send freelance reporters to every election headquarters in the lower Naugatuck Valley on Election Night.

That’s just one illustration of how a Valley-based nonprofit can use your support.

But there are dozens of others with immediate needs that can be addressed through your generosity.

For example, click here to read a guest column from the local Boys & Girls Club’s executive director about how they hope to use money raised in next month’s fundraiser to buy a software program that will help them streamline their own fundraising work.

A list of all participating nonprofits serving the Valley is posted after the podcast.

All participating non-profits are listed on GiveGreater.org in eight categories:

Support Arts & Culture

Meet Basic Needs

Promote Civic Vitality

Boost Economic Success

Provide Quality Education

Protect The Environment

Ensure Health & Wellness

Nurture Children & Youth

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