BOISE, Idaho — Maybe it's education or the environment. Perhaps animals or helping the hungry or homeless. Do you have a favorite cause you would like to support? Coming up soon, you'll have the chance to choose from more than 600 nonprofits all in one easy location online.
Idaho Gives runs May 2-5. This is the tenth year for the statewide donation drive.
Idaho Gives is organized and operated by the Idaho Nonprofit Center. It's designed to bring the state together by raising money and awareness for Gem State nonprofits. It started back in 2013 as a one-day, statewide day of giving. In 2020, at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, it switched to a multi-day event and went fully online.
Over the years, the people of Idaho have proven to be very generous. In the first year, 2013, Idahoans donated nearly $580,000. In 2015 donations topped $1 million for the first time. Donations went over $1.5 million in 2018. The giving exploded in the first two years of the pandemic. In both 2020 and 2021 donations came in just under $4 million. The total raised in the first nine years stands at exactly $16,089,531. More than 630 nonprofits have signed up for Idaho Gives 2022.
On this edition of Viewpoint, Idaho Nonprofit Center CEO Kevin Bailey discusses everything you need to know about Idaho Gives. Below is an excerpt:
Kevin Bailey: "I think Idaho runs on nonprofits. I think if you care about the quality of life, the vibrancy of your community and really, again, just the quality of life where you live, you have to care about nonprofits. Investing and supporting, volunteering, and probably most importantly, donating to nonprofits is what makes them thrive and run."
Doug Petcash: "This year the pandemic has eased up. We're also seeing high inflation. What are your fundraising expectations for this year?"
Kevin Bailey: "It's always hard to predict a little bit, but I think we've been so close to $4 million of total donations raised on Idaho Gives, so we're really hoping Idaho rallies and continues that really strong support for the 600-plus nonprofits that have registered, and we'd love to top that $4 million mark. So, we have four days of giving this year. Let's see if we can get a million each of those days."
Bailey also talks about the wide variety of nonprofits that have registered, how easy it is to donate through the event, and explains how the Idaho Nonprofit Center helps charities across the state on a day-to-day basis. Viewpoint airs Sunday mornings at 9 o'clock on KTVB right after Meet the Press.
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