NEPA Scene Staff

NEPA Gives raises $523,683 in one day for 167 local nonprofit organizations

NEPA Gives raises $523,683 in one day for 167 local nonprofit organizations
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From a press release:

The Scranton Area Community Foundation has announced that, in just 24 hours, 167 local nonprofit organizations worked together to collectively raise a total of $523,683 with NEPA Gives on Friday, June 5.

NEPA Gives was hosted by the Scranton Area Community Foundation in partnership with the Luzerne Foundation, Greater Pike Community Foundation, Wayne County Community Foundation, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Nonprofit & Community Assistance Center, and other community sponsors to raise awareness about the critical work nonprofit organizations carry out across the region and to help charitable organizations raise much-needed funds, especially during these challenging times.

“In this first year of NEPA Gives, our theme was ‘Respond, Thrive, and Recover,’ which highlighted the important work that nonprofits are doing during the COVID-19 crisis and the importance of supporting their critical work,” stated Laura Ducceschi, president and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation.

“We believe that especially now during these challenging times, it was important to provide an opportunity for nonprofits to raise much-needed funds to support their efforts, and we are grateful that the generous people in Northeastern Pennsylvania responded.”

NEPA Gives, which accepted donations online at nepagives.org last Friday, made history as the single largest day of philanthropy in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Many checks and offline donations are still coming in, so the total will likely increase in the coming days ahead.

Over 2,700 donors generously supported NEPA Gives, and it was also supported by numerous sponsors, including DiscoverNEPA, WVIA Public Media, Cumulus Media, the Hawk Family Foundation, the Schwartz Mack Foundation, the Tighe Foundation, Women in Philanthropy, the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative, the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, and many others.

Adding to the momentum, over 125 prizes and matching incentives were awarded to participating nonprofits for notable achievements, all sponsored by generous businesses, foundations, and donors across the region.

175 nonprofit organizations participated in the 24-hour fundraising event, including Equines for Freedom, NeighborWorks Northeastern PA, the Women’s Resource Center, Countryside Conservancy, and the Black Scranton Project.

NEPA Gives Leaderboard – Top 20

1. Equines for Freedom – $41,493.54
2. Diocese of Scranton – $36,715.00
3. Countryside Conservancy – $22,235.00
4. NeighborWorks Northeastern PA – $19,397.00
5. Women’s Resource Center – $16,970.00
6. Camp Orchard Hill – $15,130.00
7. Greater Pike Community Foundation – $14,595.00
8. Catherine McAuley Center – $12,798.36
9. Northeast PA Youth for Christ – $12,615.00
10. Discovery MI Preschool – $12,530.00
11. Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science, and Art – $12,350.00
12. Pocono Environmental Education Center – $11,815.00
13. United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania – $11,105.00
14. NEPA Gives Host Foundations – $10,780.00
15. Outreach – Center for Community Resources – $10,705.00
16. Black Scranton Project – $10,110.00
17. Scranton Fringe Festival – $9,415.00
18. Lacawac Sanctuary Environmental Education Center – $7,805.00
19. NativityMiguel School of Scranton – $7,679.98
20. Friends of the Poor – $6,845.00

“The average first-year giving day for a region of our size raises between $100,000 and $150,000,” stated Ducceschi. “The fact that NEPA Gives raised over half a million dollars is a testament to the generous community that we have in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”

To accompany the giving day, in lieu of hosting an in-person event, the Scranton Area Community Foundation partnered with Electric City Television to produce “Respond, Thrive, Recover,” a six-hour NEPA Gives video production showcasing the work that charitable organizations are doing during the coronavirus pandemic and the importance of supporting their critical work, which aired during the day on June 5. This video production included special messages of support and hope from community leaders, including the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, and entertainers like the Doug Smith Orchestra and Broadway star Judy McLane. The show can be accessed now on ECTV’s YouTube channel.

This was the first year for NEPA Gives. In 2019, the Scranton Area Community Foundation hosted NEPA Match Day, which raised over $234,000 for 30 nonprofit organizations.

To learn more about the #NEPAGives campaign, visit nepagives.org.

The Scranton Area Community Foundation is on a mission to enhance the quality of life for all people in Northeastern Pennsylvania through the development of organized philanthropy. With assets of more than $40 million and more than 200 charitable funds, the foundation distributed over $2 million in grants and scholarships in 2019. Additionally, through its foundation management services offered to other private and public foundations, the Scranton Area Community Foundation manages assets of more than $31 million and distributed an additional $1.2 million in grants and scholarships in 2019 through assets under management.

As a public 501c3 community foundation, the Scranton Area Community Foundation serves as a steward, a grantmaker, a charitable resource, and a catalyst for change. It leads various initiatives, including Women in Philanthropy, the Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence, NEPA Moves, and the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative.

More information about the Scranton Area Community Foundation can be found at safdn.org.