Valley Gives initiative raises more than $1 million for nonprofits

Date: 12/17/2012

SPRINGFIELD – Valley Gives put out the call to the residents of Western Massachusetts to give – and they gave. In 24 hours, 6,646 donors made 10,606 gifts totaling $974,737. Adding in the $200,000 prize pool raised by the organizers brings the grand total raised to $1.17 million.

The prize pool was distributed to the following participating nonprofits:

Nonprofits in two budget categories (budgets more than $500,000, budgets less than $500,000) competed for bonus grants presented to the top three slots for Most Money Raised and for Most Donors.'(First place $15,000, Second place $10,000 and Third place $5,000).

In keeping with our Dec. 12, 2012 theme, nonprofits in 12th place in each category were awarded a $1,200 bonus grant.

Winners for Most Money Raised (budget more than $500,000):

• 1st – Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society Inc., $43,172;

• 2nd – The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Inc., $34,236;

• 3rd – Franklin Land Trust Inc., $29,567;

• 12th – Community Music School of Springfield Inc., $9,652.

Winners for Most Money Raised (budget less than $500,000):

• 1st – New Spirit Inc., $43,103;

• 2nd – Whole Children, $33,111;

• 3rd – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, $30,628;

• 12th – Amherst Committee of a Better Chance, $10,470.

Winners: Most Unique Donors (budget more than $500,000):

• 1st – Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society Inc., 533 donors;

• 2nd – The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Inc., 328 donors;

• 3rd – New England Public Radio Foundation Inc., 279 donors;

• 12th – Connecticut River Valley Watershed Council, 90 donors.

Winners: Most Unique Donors (budget less than $500,000):

• 1st – Whole Children, 591 donors;

• 2nd – New Spirit Inc., 419 donors;

• 3rd – Amherst Education Foundation Inc., 272 donors;

• 12th – Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts, 111 donors.

Hourly beginning at 11 a.m. and ending at 11 p.m., a randomly selected donation to a participating nonprofit had $1,000 Golden Ticket added to the total.

The winners are as follows: Motherwoman Inc. at 11 p.m.; Connecticut River Watershed Council Inc. at 10 p.m.; Holyoke Public Library Corp. at 9 p.m.; New England Public Radio Foundation at 8 p.m.; Amherst Committee for a Better Chance at 7 p.m.; Double Edge Theatre at 6 p.m.; Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield at 5 p.m.; Amherst Education Foundation Inc. at 4 p.m.; The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Inc. at 3 p.m.; Community Action Council of the Franklin, Hampshire and North Quabbin Regions at 2 p.m.; The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Inc. at 1 p.m.; Amherst Committee for a Better Chance at noon; and Reader to Reader Inc. at 11 a.m.

Throughout the day randomly selected donations had Golden Tickets added to their total:

• $5,000 Winner: Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts;

• $10,000 Winners: Snow Farm – The New England Craft Program and Friends of Children;

• $15,000 Winner: Stavros Center for Independent Living Inc.;

• $20,000 Winner: New Spirit Inc.

The $20,000 Golden Ticket award is dedicated in memory of Meredith "Merrie" Wood. She was a leader in the region's philanthropic, cultural and educational activities.

This special award was added in her honor to a donor's gift on Valley Gives Day to reflect the values of generosity, involvement and inspiration that were the hallmark of her life in service to nonprofits in the Pioneer Valley.

The full list of nonprofits and their totals raised is available at www.valleygivesday.org. Nonprofits and community members that are interested in participating in Valley Gives 2013 are encouraged to follow Valley Gives in real time on Facebook at www.facebook.com/valleygives or on Twitter @ValleyGives.

Valley Gives is spearheaded and hosted by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. Joining this effort as partners are eight of the leading funding organizations serving western Massachusetts, including: Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, Jewish Endowment Foundation, Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts, United Way of Hampshire County, United Way of Franklin County, United Way of Pioneer Valley, Irene & George Davis Foundation, and The Beveridge Family Foundation.

Valley Gives technical support is provided by Razoo, the world's fastest-growing crowd funding site for causes. Razoo, which has helped nonprofits raise more than $101 million, is committed to creating a more generous world by offering easy-to-use online fundraising tools for individuals and nonprofits.

Valley Gives is generously supported by Easthampton Savings Bank; Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury, Murphy P.C.; Balise; Peter Pan; Greenfield Cooperative Bank and Paragus Strategic IT as well as numerous individual donors.