HELP KEEP LINCOLN GREAT – GIVE TO LINCOLN DAY 2014

Give To Lincoln Day May 29, 2014Give to Lincoln Day 2014 began at 12:00 am today. Give to Lincoln Day is a day dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations in the city of Lincoln, as well as Lancaster County, Nebraska. From 12:00 am to 11:59 pm people can donate to qualifying local non-profit organizations. The Lincoln Community Foundation, along with other sponsors, will be giving away an additional $300,000 in a challenge match pool. Help keep Lincoln great. Make a donation now, without leaving your home, by going to givetolincoln.com.

WHAT IS GIVE TO LINCOLN DAY?

Give to Lincoln Day, according to the givetolincoln.com website, is:

What is Give To Lincoln Day?

Give To Lincoln Day is a 24-hour event that encourages everyone to contribute to Lincoln and Lancaster County nonprofit organizations through a single online giving platform on May 29th. Give To Lincoln Day is coordinated by Lincoln Community Foundation, in partnership with local nonprofit organizations.

What’s the goal?

The vision of Give To Lincoln Day is to promote philanthropy in Lincoln and Lancaster County. There are three primary goals:

  • Introduce new donors to our nonprofit organizations.
  • Raise a substantial amount of new money to assist the nonprofit network in our community.
  • Help Lincoln nonprofit organizations tell their stories and educate Lincoln about the positive impact they have on our lives.

Give To Lincoln Day is intended to be a bonus fundraising opportunity for local nonprofits in our community. It is not intended to replace or interfere with donors’ gifts to a nonprofit organization that would be made in the regular course of charitable giving.

The Lincoln Community Foundation created a PSA for Give to Lincoln Day 2014, which you can view on the givetolincoln.com website or on Vimeo: 2014 Give To Lincoln Day PSA

RESULTS OF GIVE TO LINCOLN DAY 2013

Last year, Give to Lincoln Day was held on May 16, 2013, which was the second such day. It was considered an enormous success as:

  • $2,119,318.00 was raised in just 24 hours;
  • 6,624 individuals made donations; and
  • 253 local nonprofit organizations received donations.

The top five nonprofits receiving donations in 2013 were:

  • Pius X Foundation: $114,886;
  • Lincoln Parks Foundation: $92,222;
  • Speedway Motors Museum: $91,017;
  • Hearts United for Animals: $84,315; and
  • City Impact, $79,405

Last year’s donations helped keep Lincoln a great community and place to live.

PARTICIPATING NONPROFITS

This year, there are 482 nonprofit organizations that are participating in Give to Lincoln Day 2014. Some of these nonprofits, which I interacted, cooperated with or otherwise used their services or facilities include:

  • Brain Injury Association of Nebraska
  • Family Service Association of Lincoln
  • Clinic With A Heart
  • Friendship Home of Lincoln
  • Foundation For Lincoln Public Schools
  • Junior Achievement of Lincoln Inc.
  • Knight House – Lincoln Southeast
  • Lincoln Children’s Museum
  • Lincoln Children’s Zoo
  • Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law In the Public Interest
  • Peoples Health Center
  • Pioneers Park Nature Center
  • The Nebraska Lawyers Foundation
  • Nebraska State Bar Foundation

You can search for your favorite nonprofits on the givetolincoln.com website.

HOW YOU CAN DONATE

You can donate to a qualifying nonprofit two ways:

  • Give to Lincoln website: givetolincoln.com.
  • In person at the Lincoln Community Foundation, 215 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, Nebraska, between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

The minimum online donation is $10.00 There is a maximum donation limit of $10,000 per nonprofit per household. The website has a timer indicating how much time is left to give along with how much money has been donated, the number of donors and a “leaderboard” with the nonprofits that have received the most donations. The website does not include information about in-person donations.

With just over 12 hours remaining for Give to Lincoln Day 2014, $1,076,333 through 4962 donations.

Welcome to Give to Lincoln Day Home Page

CONCLUSION

Give to Lincoln Day is a terrific idea. Lincoln is a great city for a number of reasons. One of those is how we help those in need and the community itself. Lapin Law Offices’ office is located in Lincoln and our staff all live here as well. I grew up in Lincoln and have many opportunities to observe the good work that many of these nonprofits do.

I would strongly urge everyone that lives or has lived in Lincoln or Lancaster County to donate what they can today as these nonprofits directly impact Lincoln, Lancaster County and the people that live here.

While you should be donating and helping these nonprofits all year long, today is extra special because of the $300,000 challenge match pool.

Who you donate to is your personal choice. I would recommend those nonprofits that you have used their services or facilities or otherwise have helped you, your family or friends.

Help keep Lincoln great by donating today to a local nonprofit.

SOURCES

Information and images come from the following sources:

Lincoln Community Foundation: Give To Lincoln 2013 Final Report
Give to Lincoln Day website: givetolincolnday.com
Razoo: Give to Lincoln Day home page: http://givetolincoln.razoo.com/giving_events/g2l14/home