The Pittsburgh Foundation

#ONEDAY Critical Needs Alert raises $1.23 million from public

Gifts amplified with $602,000 in incentive funds from Foundation and its donors

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 12, 2021 – Nonprofits providing basic needs are $1.83 million ahead in getting much-needed operating support thanks to the #ONEDAY Critical Needs Alert online giving event that orchestrated a 16-hour marathon of public giving on Aug. 3.

Organized by The Pittsburgh Foundation, the event benefited 174 charities in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties that provide basic needs – food, housing, physical and mental health care, child care and transportation – directly to vulnerable populations. For the first time, donors were able to search for organizations led by and serving Black, indigenous people and people of color (BIPOC), who have been facing disproportionate health and economic impacts from the virus.

“Now more than ever, people want to do take part in helping our region and our neighbors not just recover but thrive,” Pittsburgh Foundation President & CEO Lisa Schroeder said in announcing the fundraising totals. “The #ONEDAY Critical Needs Alert event makes it as easy as possible for anyone to make a donation and, in doing so, make a difference.”

Between 8 a.m. and midnight on Aug. 3, 5,800 donations totaling $1.23 million from the public and Foundation donors through their donor-advised funds poured into the PittsburghGives.org donation portal. Every donation from $25 to $1,000 triggered additional funding from a $602,000 incentive pool provided by The Pittsburgh Foundation and its affiliate, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, and their donors. Of this, $25,000 was earmarked for Westmoreland County organizations. Incentive pool dollars are divided among nonprofits after the giving concludes.

Allegheny County organizations received a total of $1.71 million and Westmoreland County nonprofits raised $116,000 including incentive funds. BIPOC-led and serving organizations in both counties raised a total of $478,000 including incentive funds.

The Foundation’s previous eight Critical Needs Alerts have raised a total of $7.9 million, including incentive funds, and each has targeted a specific area of need – food insecurity in 2013 and 2018, housing insecurity in 2014 and 2015, and basic needs – child care, food, housing, mental and physical health care, and transportation – in 2017, 2019, 2020 and again this year.

An additional $794,000 was raised for the #LoveIsStronger campaign following the Tree of Life shooting in November of 2018, which benefited eight organizations.

Critical Needs Alert giving events align with the Foundation’s mission of improving the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy and connecting donors to the critical needs of the community.

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