Orange County Register
by Theresa Walker
There is no doubt now that Orange County Community Foundation was on to something when it began hosting online “Giving Days” in 2015. Back then, a solo 30-hour marathon raised a collective $1.8 million for 347 local charities.
Now there are more collaborative Giving Days during the year – 10 – that have involved a half-dozen to up to 20 nonprofit organizations at a time. The groups work together under a common theme, such as Stand and Salute to benefit military veterans or Help Them Home to tackle homelessness. Each online effort runs 24 hours.
The formula, relying heavily on social media campaigns and making strong connections with donors, has led to annual increases in dollars raised, reaching nearly $4.5 million donated this year. All of the theme days exceeded overall goals set by the participating charities.
