Thurston County’s biggest local charity drive is underway

Clarissa Lundeen

Portrait by Gloria Towne - Town Studios

Give Local, the annual campaign by the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound, that matches donors to nonprofit organizations, is underway. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Give Local, and it has come a long way since then.

Because it was a pilot, only 50 nonprofits participated in the first Give Local in 2017, and most were from the Olympia area. That year, the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound raised $165,000.

Today, 159 nonprofits are participating, a record number, and the areas represented now include Thurston, Lewis and Mason counties. Since it began, people in our communities have joined together and raised more than $6.7 million through Give Local.  

The types of nonprofits are also expanding. Go to the Give Local website and you will find nonprofits working to raise funds to solve food insecurity, housing, arts, animal welfare, environmental concerns, senior citizens, teens, children, and more causes. There are also nonprofits addressing needs in our neighborhoods that you might never have considered. 

At a recent meeting with nonprofit leaders, a few people suggested the groups reach out and collaborate with each other. Working together can help nonprofits make more of an impact, and perhaps save some funding. You are looking at one such collaboration.

The JOLT is one of the 159 nonprofits receiving donations through Give Local. We’ve been partnering with the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound for the past four years. We help get the word out about Give Local, too.  

The donations the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound collects that are targeted to The JOLT News Organization directly fund our original reporting here — and our ability to provide it all without a paywall. (Publisher’s note: Give Local overlaps with NewsMatch, so your gift during this campaign is more than doubled. Ready? Click here, please!) 

Give Local is more than just clicking a button to donate some money. Nonprofits share their stories in this online shopping mall; you can read about their programs and explain what they’re raising funds for during the campaign. Some post descriptions of areas where volunteers can help.  

Another benefit of Give Local is that it helps level out the playing field for nonprofits. All of the expenses of the program are paid for by the Community Foundation, including credit card processing fees. 

Nonprofits vary widely, especially in terms of their annual budgets. Some rely heavily on grant funding, others are run totally by volunteers, and a few are able to establish reserve funds to use in emergencies.   

You do not need to be wealthy to participate in Give Local. Since it started in 2017, the average gift is $200 or less. Last year, almost 80 percent of gifts fit that description. 

Please check out the Give Local website. If you are looking for a way to donate, there are resources and frequently asked questions web pages that can help you find a nonprofit that shares your vision and values. If you are part of a nonprofit organization that has questions or concerns about fundraising, or reaching out to find people to join your efforts, the website has resources for you, too. 

Give Local runs through Nov. 20, and includes two Giving Wednesdays — Nov. 11 and Nov. 18. On those days, donors will have a chance to win a $100 grant to give to the nonprofit of their choice. Every donation, share and volunteer connection helps bring more attention to the nonprofits in our neighborhoods, and the causes they address.   

Clarissa Lundeen has lived in Lacey for over 30 years, and today shares her home with three cats. She often says the cats run the house; she just pays the mortgage.