On Wednesday, May 20, a record 1005 local nonprofits will participate in the eighth annual Omaha Gives, the community’s day of online giving. The 24-hour event, hosted by the Omaha Community Foundation and presented by American National Bank, is the metro area’s only community-wide day of giving. The entire community is invited to come together to contribute at www.OmahaGives.org.

In the past two months the giving day has adapted to the impact of COVID-19, and while much will look and feel the same, the urgent needs of the local nonprofit community will be highlighted throughout the event. This includes special “COVID-19 Alert boxes” on nonprofits’ individual pages alerting donors of needs related to the pandemic, and the option for anyone to give to the Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund.

Also new this year, the minimum donation starts at only $1—an amount that allows the day to be more accessible and inspire more individuals throughout the community to participate.

“While Omaha Gives! is always a day of impact and inspiration, this year’s celebration of local nonprofits takes on new meaning in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our nonprofits need Omaha Gives and the infusion of funding it provides more than ever before to help the people they serve who are in need of food, assistance with rent or mortgages, health care, and mental health,” Donna Kush, Omaha Community Foundation President and CEO said. “Our nonprofits are facing severe implications; a recent NAM survey found that 56% of local nonprofits said COVID-19 will have significant impact on their programs, services, and operations.”

Kush added, “There are so many ways to participate in the day this year—through a donation, attending a virtual Omaha Gives event, and sharing on social media. We truly hope Omaha Gives is felt throughout the community on May 20, and that this region embraces the day as one of celebration, connection, and caring in light of the pandemic.”

“There are so many ways to participate in the day this year—through a donation, attending a virtual Omaha Gives event, and sharing on social media. We truly hope Omaha Gives is felt throughout the community on May 20, and that this region embraces the day as one of celebration, connection, and caring in light of the pandemic.”

Since its beginning in 2013, the giving day has now raised more than $49 million for nonprofit organizations throughout Douglas, Sarpy, and Pottawattamie Counties.

Donors are encouraged to support their favorite nonprofits—and find new ones to give to on the site where you can easily search by more than 15 different causes. Last year, nearly 19,000 individuals gave a record 48,661 donations during the giving day. In total, Omaha Gives raised $6.8 million in 2019 for 963 area nonprofits serving the metropolitan community.

As in past years, donations given through the site are amplified through prizes awarded to nonprofits throughout the day. This year, the Omaha Community Foundation and Pottawattamie County Community Foundation will award $112,000 in prizes. Included in these prizes are a new social media prize that anyone in the community can participate in by using #WhyIGiveOG and sharing online the reasons why they are giving to a nonprofit(s).

Nonprofits can also raise their own Challenge Funds to match donor giving—this year, nearly 70 nonprofits have raised a record $866,000 that will match individual gifts dollar for dollar.

Leading the way for Omaha Gives, the Omaha Community Foundation is proud to let good grow in Omaha by helping more than 2,000 donors facilitate their charitable giving.  Since the Foundation’s inception in 1982, donors have granted almost $1.8 billion to area nonprofits, supporting more than 3,000 local charities.

For the most up-to-date information on Omaha Gives, visit www.OmahaGives.org, or follow the Omaha Community Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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