If you have ever thought to yourself How can I directly make my community a better place? I think one place to start is charity. Cattaraugus Gives provides you the opportunity to support 65 nonprofits, all of whom directly invest in that mission of providing a brighter tomorrow.
Two years ago, with little expectation of what was to come, the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation decided to organize and hold a giving day for Cattaraugus County.
To date, Cattaraugus Gives has raised some $70,000 for nonprofits in our region.
Again on Giving Tuesday this year, we will hold our third annual day of giving, Cattaraugus Gives, with 65 nonprofits set to participate as of today. A list of participating nonprofits can be found at cattaraugusgives.org
Cattaraugus Gives is a 24-hour online fundraising blitz to be held on Dec. 3, bringing together nonprofits from all over the region in friendly fundraising competition, with the overall goal of creating a more compassionate, giving community.
In order to encourage the nonprofit groups to organize their campaigns to raise donations from supporters, CRCF has solicited a prize package worth nearly $12,000 for which these nonprofits may compete.
The following local businesses and individuals answered the call. With their help, nonprofits will be competing for 22 prizes during Cattaraugus Gives. That prize list is available at cattaraugusgives.org/prizes. This year’s sponsors include:
- Cutco Corp.
- Both, Branch and Hendrix
- The Cornell-Pleakis Group at Morgan Stanley
- Olean Area Federal Credit Union
- Community Bank
- Seneca Resorts & Casinos
- Park Centre Development, Inc.
- Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce
- Howard Hanna
- Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P.C.
- Hedley Brook Insurance
- Dolores Anstaett
- Jim Bardenett
You may be asking now, but what does that money raised do?
The funds raised by each group during Cattaraugus Gives allow Olean High School students the opportunity to take once-in-a-lifetime educational field trips. It means local animal shelters have the funds to save the life of a dog who has been mistreated and find it a new forever home.
Fund raised during Cattaraugus Gives mean that your neighbor and friend fighting breast cancer can afford transportation to her treatments. It means that your friend who just lost a parent after a long illness can receive bereavement care.
Those are just a few examples.
The money raised means a stronger, healthier more vibrant community in this place that we all call home.
No gift is too small to help. More than 50% of the donations made in 2018 were $50 or less, but together they added up to big results.
I invite you support the mission of Cattaraugus Gives by making a gift to the organizations and charitable causes that you love on December 3 at cattaraugusgives.org. Each gift earns that organization a chance to win prize money ranging from $250 to $2,000.
After all, we all win when Cattaraugus Gives.
