Aug. 6 #ONEDAY online giving event set to support basic needs services in the Pittsburgh region
PITTSBURGH, AUGUST 5, 2024 — Nonprofit organizations that make up the safety net for essential human services in the Pittsburgh region will get a significant boost Aug. 6, when The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County's #ONEDAY Critical Needs Alert online giving campaign launches at PittsburghGives.org.
Every donation from $25 to $1,000 triggers additional funding from a $550,000 incentive pool provided by the foundations and their donors. Every dollar raised will provide operating support directly to participating nonprofit organizations.
“Caring for our neighbors is a defining characteristic of Pittsburghers, and the #ONEDAY online giving event unites our region in support of organizations making a difference in our community," said Pittsburgh Foundation President and CEO Lisa Schroeder in announcing the giving event. "We are enormously proud that the operating dollars generated from this campaign will boost nonprofits’ capacity to deliver essential services. The need continues to grow, but I’m amazed each year at the generosity of donors who see that and keep pace. Those donors and the tireless efforts of participating nonprofit staffs and boards are truly building a greater Pittsburgh."
Through the PittsburghGives.org donation portal, donors can search for causes and organizations, many led by and serving Black and Brown communities, which have a disproportionate amount of need for basic services.
How incentive funds work: The #ONEDAY campaign will prorate payouts from the incentive pool based on the total raised by each organization. The goal is to encourage public giving over the full 16 hours of the Critical Needs Alert. While donors can give as much as they like, incentive funds will be capped at $1,000 per donor per organization to ensure that funds are distributed across as many organizations as possible. All funds raised go to the nonprofits and provide unrestricted operating support. Of the $550,000 incentive pool, $50,000 is earmarked for Westmoreland County organizations.
The five priority areas for this year’s Critical Needs Alert are:
- Child Care - Programs providing child care for infants and children up to age 6. (Those that provide only before- or after-school programming do not qualify.)
- Employment - Organizations providing employment-related services, such job readiness, job placement or job retention programs; training or education explicitly related to employment; and support services, such as transportation, tools or clothing to enable individuals to work.
- Eviction Prevention and Housing - Organizations that provide direct shelter to individuals and families in crisis. This also includes organizations that provide financial assistance, landlord-tenant mediation and other related services that assist individuals and families to stay safely in their homes.
- Food and Nutrition - Organizations providing food to those who don't have the ability to meet their daily needs. These include groups that manage food pantries, food banks and soup kitchens.
- Physical and Mental Health Care - Organizations providing clinical physical and mental health care. This includes health care supplies and staffing needs.
The Foundation’s previous #ONEDAY Critical Needs Alerts have raised nearly $14 million, including incentive funds, to support essential services.
Following the attack on the Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha, Dor Hadash and New Light congregations in November 2018, an additional $794,000 was raised for the #LoveIsStronger day of giving campaign, which benefited eight organizations.
Critical Needs Alert giving events align with the Foundations’ mission of improving quality of life. The events help to realize the vision of a vibrant, equitable and just Pittsburgh region that supports everyone—regardless of race, identity or circumstance—to thrive and fulfill their potential. #ONEDAY on Aug. 6 takes place from 8:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
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