The state of Delaware has thousands of nonprofit organizations, each of them supporting a cause that’s special to the hearts of many. Some, like Faithful Friends Animal Society and A Buddy for Life, Inc., care for and protect the animals in our state. Others, like the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science and Newark Center for Creative Learning School, bolster education and sustainability. The Delaware Nature Society teaches about our planet, the Food Bank of Delaware feeds the hungry and the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation educates about the history of Delaware. Other organizations, like the Howard Pyle Studio and the Delaware Art Museum, preserve the artistic legacy of the First State. When it comes to passionate nonprofit groups and causes to support, Delawareans are spoiled for choice.
Good news: Do More 24 Delaware, the biggest annual day of giving in the state, is on the horizon. It will take place from Thursday, March 7 at 6 p.m. to Friday, March 8 at 6 p.m. You can donate to your favorite nonprofits and help advocate for their missions during the massive fundraising event. Even if you donate just $5, your contribution could make an organization eligible for prizes, awards, matching bonuses and more. There will be more than $350,000 in prize money being awarded to the nonprofits throughout the 24 hours. The Delaware Division of the Arts also contributes a $200,000 matching grant opportunity for the organizations that they support.
It’s easy to find your favorite nonprofit and donate to them on the Do More 24 Delaware website. Go to the search bar and type in the name of your favorite cause, or take a look through the leaderboards. The leaderboards are tiered based on size, so no small nonprofits are left out of the fundraising fun. On the day of Do More 24, there will be hourly prizes given out to the nonprofits based on varying factors.
The Food Bank of Delaware is participating for the fourth year. The 24-hour giving spree offers a big hike in donations to help those who are food-insecure.
“Last year we raised $35,000 for our backpack program,” says Kim Turner, vice president of communications for the Food Bank of Delaware. “This year, our goal is $37,000.”
The backpack program provides food year-round to children in need for weekends and holidays when they don’t have access to school meal programs. Volunteers pack bags which drivers deliver to schools and daycares across the First State. Teachers and school counselors work to identify children who may be struggling with food insecurity and weekend hunger and discreetly deliver the bags on Fridays or before a holiday. Funds donated through Do More 24 will go directly to this program.
With a new facility in Milford, the Food Bank of Delaware has a lot of new projects underway to help alleviate food insecurity in the First State. An on-site café that serves as a training opportunity for culinary students is one example. It’s open to the public, and the funds raised go to scholarships for the culinary program.
The new facility also features an on-site healthy pantry center set up like a grocery store. Those suffering from food insecurity can visit and shop through the shelves for the foods that work for their household.
“We want to provide people with the choice in a dignified manner,” explains Turner. “Some people have different dietary restrictions or cultural differences. This helps them decide what’s best for them.” In just one month, the pantry has served over 1400 households in Delaware.
Along with the café and pantry, the new facility also features a 3.5-acre garden to grow healthy and fresh foods right on-site. The new facility is triple the size of the previous one, so the Food Bank of Delaware is always seeking to grow its volunteer force. With spring right around the corner, it’s time to sow the seeds for accessible produce, both figuratively and literally.
Whether you donate money during Do More 24 or volunteer your time, minimizing food insecurity is a worthy cause. Learn more about volunteering at fbd.org.
Nonprofit powerhouses like the Food Bank of Delaware benefit greatly from Do More 24, but some organizations rely on it for nearly their entire budget. As Lena Mucchetti, artistic director of the New Light Theatre, says, “We’re a very, very small nonprofit with a very small base, and it doesn’t feel like we’re out of the running for any of those incentives or any of the prizes because they’ve tiered the nonprofit structure…It makes you feel like everybody’s got a shot here.”
“It is the biggest giving day in the state throughout the year. For a lot of nonprofits, this is their budget for the year.”
The impact of Do More 24 goes beyond financial gain for these nonprofits. It’s also empowering to the donor: “It spurs people to realize that their contribution matters…Those things that people think are drops in the bucket actually have huge ripple effects through an event like Do More 24,” says Mucchetti. In addition, the day of giving generates advocacy for and education about the causes that these nonprofits support. For places like the New Light Theatre, this day is a chance to spread the word and gather meaningful supporters.
“It is the biggest giving day in the state throughout the year. For a lot of nonprofits, this is their budget for the year,” says Charlie Vincent, executive director of Spur Impact. (Spur Impact, who organizes the event, is a nonprofit focused on professional development and community involvement. Another initiative of Spur Impact is the Delaware Gives platform, which is offered to nonprofits for use year round. For more information, visit degives.org.)
To donate on the day of giving, or to set an email reminder for yourself, visit domore24delaware.org.
Related: Charitable Groups to Support in Delaware
