BOISE, Idaho — 10 years and still going strong. Idaho's biggest donation drive kicks off its eleventh year at midnight Monday. Idaho Gives runs May 1- 4.
Do you have a favorite cause you like to support? Maybe it's the environment or education. Perhaps helping to feed the hungry or house the homeless How about providing comfort to the abused or funding for the arts? 648 nonprofits have signed up for Idaho Gives 2023. And it's easy to find, learn more about, and donate to the cause of your choice on www.idahogives.org.
Idaho Gives is organized and operated by the Idaho Nonprofit Center. The event is designed to bring the state together by raising money and awareness for Gem State nonprofits.
It started in 2013 as a one-day, statewide giving event. It switched to a multi-day fundraiser during the pandemic, and it still is.
Over its first 10 years the people of Idaho have shown how generous they are by donating just under $20 million total. The event needs to raise exactly $216,403 to hit that mark. In its first year in 2013, Idaho Gives brought in nearly $580,000. In 2015 donations topped $1 million for the first time. Donors really dug deep during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. In both 2020 and 2021 donations came in just under $4 million.
Idaho Nonprofit Center CEO Kevin Bailey says the goal this year is to go over $4 million.
"Idaho's nonprofits are really our state's best kept secret," Bailey said. "We like to say in our office that Idaho runs on nonprofits. What we mean by that is if you're in any city from Pocatello all the way to Coeur d'Alene, obviously the Treasure Valley included, you can't walk more than a block without seeing the impact of a nonprofit whether that's Ballet Idaho downtown to some of the shelters to some of the great parks and opportunities to engage with the arts in those communities. It's everywhere. Downtown beautification is run by nonprofits. So, the impact is sort of unnoticed and taken for granted, we think."
Again, you can donate to your charity of choice by going to www.idahogives.org starting just after midnight Monday morning May 1.
On this episode of Viewpoint Bailey talks about how Idaho Gives works, how it all got started, the impact it has and what the Idaho Nonprofit Center does year-round to support nonprofits across the state.
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