KEARNEY — The Kearney Area Community Foundation’s 2023 Give Where You Live charitable campaign takes place on Thursday, Dec. 7 and plans to reach new heights this year.
Give Where You Live
The Kearney Area Community Foundation (KACF) has been hosting the Give Where You Live 24-hour community wide donation day since 2013. Since then, over $9.6 million has been raised for local non-profits.
“Give Where You Live brings people together as one community, raising money and awareness for our local nonprofits,” per the KACF.
Judi Sickler, KACF President/CEO said Give Where You Live got its start after the Lexington Community Foundation started the area’s first 24-hour giving day, Give BIG Lexington, in 2010. After seeing the success, the campaign was able to generate, the KACF joined the action with Give Where You Live.
In its first year, Give Where You Live was able to raise $453,635 and since 2014, has only seen that number grow.
“Last year, the tenth year for the 24-hour giving day, the community raised a record-breaking
$1,618,940 on Dec. 1, 2022,” per the KACF, “Donations came in from a wide variety of donors who made more than 6,623 different gifts for 181 organizations/causes.”
“Give Where You Live has been such a huge success since we launched it in 2013! We are committed to our mission of promoting the spirit of charitable giving and effectively responding to the community’s needs,” Judi Sickler, “We are proud that the annual Give Where You Live campaign accomplishes just that and grows every year! It has changed how people give locally.”
The event has several goals:
- To raise awareness of the current philanthropic needs of our communities.
- To help local nonprofits identify and cultivate new funding streams.
- To inspire donors to increase financial support to their favorite local causes.
“The KACF does not profit from Give Where You Live. This is our gift to the community,” the KACF stated.
2023 Campaign
“Reach New Heights” is the theme for the 2023 community-wide campaign.
Andi Hartman, KACF Communications Coordinator, said that planning for the event begins in July and August when the theme is chosen. During the fall, non-profit organizations can register for the event.
Hartman said the excitement for the event is evident as people have asked about registration as early as June some years.
The months of planning and work all culminate in December, this year the event is set to take place on Thursday, Dec. 7.
Hartman said this year there is a record number, 188, charitable organizations that will benefit from Give Where You Live. Every donation made during Give Where You Live will help qualify the organization for prize money and awards, furthering the impact of the donor’s investment.
New Causes
There are 18 new organizations and causes that have joined Give Where You Live this year. They include:
- Buffalo County 4-H
- Campus Lutheran
- Combat Warriors of Nebraska
- Family of Christ Community Suppers
- First Responders Foundation Kearney, NE Chapter
- Forward Kearney
- Foster Care Closet of Nebraska
- Gibbon 4th of July Celebration
- Gibbon Beautification Foundation
- Gibbon Heritage Center Foundation
- Gibbon Volunteer Fire Department
- Hanny Arram Center for Success
- Hot Meals USA
- Kearney Cosmos Club
- Kearney Regional Medical Center Foundation
- Meadowlark PTO Adaptive Playground Project
- Shelton Bulldog Walking Club
- Windy Hills PTO
How To Donate
Donors can go to the website: https://www.givewhereyoulive.net and look at the list of local nonprofit organizations registered for the giving day. Donors can begin making online gifts today through midnight Dec. 7.
“We would just encourage donors to check out the website (givewhereyoulive.net) to learn more about the giving day, contests, challenges, prizes and much more! We encourage donors to use this campaign to make gifts to organizations they haven’t supported in the past, as well as make an additional gift to their favorites!” Sickler said. “We also have donation forms at the office if anyone wants to get one early.”
Donations can be made in person at the KACF office, 412 W. 48th St. Please make checks out to the KACF and include the check with the donation form provided.
Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today
“Donations, up to $20,000 per donor, qualify to receive funds from the Give Where You Live Challenge Match Pool. The Challenge Match Pool is $100,000 this year and is provided by Drew and Brittany Blessing, Mike and Becky Evers, Cal and Jane Johnson, KAAPA Ethanol, Norris and Lori Marshall, Bill and Julie Oldfather, Ken and Lynnda Shaffer, Paul and Linda Younes, an anonymous donor, the KACF and other generous sponsors,” per the KACF.
The Challenge Match Pool is a proportional match.
“For example, if the community raises $1,000,000 on that day and the Challenge Match Pool is $100,000, every dollar donated will be matched 10 percent, It is a fun way to help expand donor’s gifts to their favorite local charities,” said Laurel McKellips, KACF Program Manager.
This year, there will be $135,000 given to participating nonprofits through the Challenge Match Pool and various prizes. Prizes include: Biggest Percentage, Breakfast Club, For Good Forever, Golden Tickets, Insomnia, Last Chance to Win, Pop Up, Reach News Heights on Social Media, Under the Umbrella and Welcome Home.
Giving Destinations
In addition to being able to donate in person at the KACF, there are several “Giving Destinations” that are held by a participating organization to meet with donors and share their mission on a more personal level.
The 2023 Giving Destinations include:
- Buffalo County Community Partners
2206 Central Ave, Kearney, NE 68847 - Kearney Rescue Cats
2206 Central Ave, Kearney, NE 68847 - CHI Good Samaritan Foundation
10 E 31st St, Kearney, NE 68847 - Kearney Teen Reach Adventure Camp
2222 2nd Ave, Kearney, NE 68847 - Crane River Theater Company
12 E 22nd St, Kearney, NE 68847 - Kearney Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program
3920 2nd Ave, Kearney, NE 68847 - Gibbon Public Library Foundation
116 Labarre St, Gibbon, NE 68840 - Kearney Whitewater Association
1325 2nd Ave, Kearney, NE 68847 - GROW Nebraska Foundation
421 Talmadge St, Kearney, NE 68845 - Meadowlark PTO Adaptive Playground Project
1010 E 53rd St, Kearney, NE 68847 - HelpCare Clinic
3015 A Ave, Kearney, NE 68847 - Meals on Wheels Kearney Area
2215 1st Ave, Kearney, NE 68847 - Kearney American Legion Post #52
1223 Central Ave, Kearney, NE 68847 - Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Education Center
2834 E 1st St, Kearney, NE 68847 - Kearney Community Sustainable Housing
2224 Central Ave, Kearney, NE 68847 - Ravenna Senior Center
315 Grand Ave, Ravenna, NE 68869 - Kearney Elks Lodge #984
2635 E 103rd St, Kearney, NE 68847 - Shelton Area Organizations
210 9th St, Shelton, NE 68876 - Kearney Pickleball Club
3807 Avenue N, Kearney, NE 68847 - Two Rivers Public Health Department
516 W 11th St, Kearney, NE 68845 - Kearney Rail Viewing Platform
1906 Central Ave, Kearney, NE 68847 - The World Theatre
2318 Central Ave, Kearney, NE 68847
Kearney Area Community Foundation
Since their inception in 1995, the Kearney Area Community Foundation has granted more than $73 million to local organizations (through scholarships, grants, and program support) serving a wide variety of community needs.
The KACF mission is to “enhance the quality of life in the Kearney area by promoting the spirit of charitable giving and effectively responding to the community’s needs.”
