By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The giving season has arrived. For more than a decade, the Golden Belt Community Foundation has utilized the worldwide Giving Tuesday campaign to raise funds for area non-profits. Though donations are being accepted now, the official Giving Tuesday falls on Dec. 2, with several ways to give.
“This will be the foundation’s 12th year for Giving Tuesday, and we’ve raised more than $1 million in the last 11 years,” said Mackenzie Mitchell, GBCF development and communications coordinator. “To think those dollars are being invested right back into your community – what a cool thing we at the foundation get to be a part of. Last year was the biggest year with over $500,000 thousand going to 98 different organizations in the four counties. We hope we can top that this year with how many dollars raised, how many organizations receive donations, and to all five counties this year.”
Previous Giving Tuesday’s featured organizations in Barton, Pawnee, Rush, and Stafford counties. This year, GBCF has added Edwards County.
“This is the biggest sign up for organizations yet with 127 organizations total,” Mitchell said. “The giving form is getting hard to fit on a page. We have several new ones this year, so be on the lookout for those.”
There are three ways to donate: visit goldenbeltcf.org and click donate; donate in person at the GBCF office, 1307 Williams in Great Bend, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or mail donations to GBCF, PO Box 1911, Great Bend, KS 67530.
Giving forms may be found at the GBCF office, on the website, or on Facebook. Online donations do not require a paper form. Special incentives will be offered for donations made on the actual Giving Tuesday, Dec. 2. Certain donations will also be matched.
“We have matching dollars from the Patterson Family Foundation for those who have endowment funds at the foundation,” said Mitchell. “Their dollars donated will have a percentage match at the end of the Giving campaign to continue to grow their endowments.”
Last year, more than 1,000 gifts were made in support of 115 local charitable organizations.