(Council Bluffs) — KMAland residents are encouraged to give back to local non-profits this Giving Tuesday.
The Community Foundation for Western Iowa is among the groups helping connect residents with various non-profits throughout the region as the holiday and giving season kicks into full gear. Donna Dostal is the president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa. Speaking on KMA’s “Morning Show” recently, Dostal says Giving Tuesday, traditionally observed as the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, kicks off the “gift-giving” season.
“In the United States, most of the gifts that are given, about 70% of the gifts, are given in the last quarter of the year and of those gifts, most of them happen in December,” said Dostal. “So, now is the time–it’s our time to reflect, give back, and really support the non-profits that touch our lives every day.”
Dostal says one way they help raise awareness of local non-profits is the SHARE Iowa initiative, which helped the community foundation raise $1.5 million last year.
“It’s a free platform that our non-profits across the entire region can use,” Dostal explained. “It’s there to help them better connect with the stakeholders in their communities and to help them support the work they’re doing to help our communities be strong and vibrant. Giving Tuesday is our number one day of giving and we’re excited to see what happens this year.”
Over 260 non-profit organizations partner with SHARE Iowa, up from 101 in September 2022. Dostal says Giving Tuesday and connecting local non-profits with their communities aligns well with the goals and mission of the community foundation.
“We provide all the resources for them, we give them marketing materials, and we actually pay for marketing moneys throughout our own fundraising and such to promote Giving Tuesday,” she said. “So, they can really use this as a day to support the work they’re doing throughout the region.”
In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, Dostal says the community foundation has raised 24 hours worth of hourly $1,000 prizes that will be granted to area non-profits throughout the day on Tuesday, along with matching a percentage of donations made to funds within the community foundation through December 13th.
“It’s 24 area businesses and individuals that have supplied that money for those $1,000 prizes,” said Dostal. “Plus, we are also offering that if anyone gives a gift of money into an endowment that lives in the community foundation, we’re adding an extra 20% to their gift.”
A generosity celebration also takes place from 5-to-7 p.m. at the Full Fledged Brewing Company in Council Bluffs on Tuesday. Donors can visit sharegoodiowa.org and enter the donation code GIVINGTUESDSAY at checkout to indicate their early participation in the annual tradition. You can hear the full interview with Dostal below:
