Annual fundraising effort is all online this year

SANDPOINT — Stay-at-home guidelines and social distancing guidelines ruled out in-person fundraising this year for Idaho Gives — previously the state’s largest single day of giving.

It’s now two weeks of online fundraising to help local nonprofits raise some much-needed revenue.

In Bonner County, among the groups taking part in the annual fundraising event are Community Cancer Services, American Heritage Wildlife Foundation, Selkirk Conservation Alliance, Panhandle Animal Shelter, Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education (SOLE), Inc., Sandpoint Youth Center, Memorial Community Center, Music Conservatory of Sandpoint, Panida Theater, Sandpoint Community Resource Center, Bonner Partners in Care Clinic, Creations, Mystic Farm Wildlife Rescue, Inc., Priest River Animal Rescue, and Panhandle Special Needs, Inc., Kaniksu Land Trust, QRU Nonprofit Organization, Redside Foundation, and Wipe Every Tear.

“It may feel like time is distorted right now and every day may feel like a week, but we are counting down the hours to April 23 - May 7 and Idaho Gives 2020,” Carolyn Speelmon told supporters of Hope’s Memorial Community Center. “We need your help to make our campaign a success.”

American Heritage Wildlife Foundation, which also created the first nature center of the Inland Pacific Northwest, said the money to keep AHWF going is strictly through volunteers and community support. That’s why events such as Idaho Gives are so critical to the organization’s operation.

“American Heritage Wildlife Foundation is the only wildlife rehabilitation facility in the panhandle permitted to accept most all species of native injured or orphaned wild animal,” founder and board president Kathleen St. Clair-McGee.

“There is no paid staff,” she said. “Annually over 3000 hours are given and more than $15,000 raised. Annually we respond to more than 300 phone calls, offer more than two dozen outreach opportunities, and help 100 individuals.”

Nearly 600 Idaho Nonprofit organizations hope to raise both money and awareness throughout the two-week event. Idaho Gives has elected not to have a monetary goal this year; rather, the focus is on engaging more Idaho donors, Idaho Nonprofit Center President and CEO Amy Little said.

“There are roughly 1.2 million adults in the state of Idaho, but very few of them actually donate,” Little said. “If every adult in Idaho gave the minimum donation of $10 then we could raise $12 million for Idaho nonprofits. The impact of donor support would be felt in nearly every county in Idaho.”

Idaho Gives begins at midnight MDT on April 23 (11 p.m. PDT) and will continue for two full weeks, ending on May 7. Donations will be accepted online at IdahoGives.org — search for the name of the group to which you would like to donate — or by phone at 1-877-ID-Gives, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the two weeks. Donors, supporters and nonprofits are encouraged to post photos and talk about their favorite causes across social media using the hashtag #IdahoGives.

A variety of community partners help fund the Idaho Gives award pool. These prizes will be given to nonprofits throughout the day and give donors an opportunity for their donations to have an even greater impact. A list of prizes and details about when they will be drawn can be found on the Idaho Gives prize page.

All prizes are from the Idaho Gives Award Pool, which is funded by George and Bev Harad, A.J. and Susie Balukoff, the Micron Foundation, Idaho Power, Zelham, HD Insurance, WAFD Insurance Group, Sue Fillman, John Rushe, Doug Colewell, Leadership Boise Class of 2020, and Idaho Community Foundation.

Idaho Gives is a program of the Idaho Nonprofit Center and is underwritten by Idaho Central Credit Union, Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Idaho National Laboratory, and KTVB.

Additional details and events may be viewed at IdahoGives.org/info/events. Donors, supporters and nonprofits are encouraged to post photos and talk about their favorite causes across social media using the hashtag #IdahoGives.

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.