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York County community supports nonprofits during Give Local York

The 24-hour donation drive opened at 9 p.m. last night and continues until 9 p.m. tonight. You can donate online or by texting "GIVE" to 888-910-7338.

YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Give Local York is officially underway!

The biggest day of giving in York County kicked off at 9 p.m. last night and continues until 9 p.m. tonight. 

Last year, the 24 hours of philanthropy raised over $4.5 million for nearly 300 nonprofits. This year, there are about 300 nonprofits participating, with around 30 being new organizations or new to Give Local York.

More than half of the nonprofits that participate are extra small or small organizations with annual budgets of less than $250,000. Give Day coordinator Kate Harmon says there are activities these nonprofits cannot perform without the money raised during Give Local York.

The goal for 2024 is to rack up over 13,000 donors, which Harmon says represents about 3% of York County residents.

Those interested in donating can text "GIVE" to 888-910-7338 or browse the participating nonprofits online.

FOX43 will bring you live coverage of the event all morning as donations pour in. FOX43 Morning News anchor Gabrielle Mediak is meeting with some of the nonprofits that will benefit. Check out their stories below:

Caring Ministry at First Presbyterian Church of York provides a number of services to anyone in the York community who is in need, including a food pantry, bus passes for new jobs, utility bill relief, prescription assistance, community meals, clothing giveaways and more. If there is something Caring Ministry is unable to help with, the organization also acts as a referral agency to connect people with local organizations that may be able to address that need.

Ministry director Elizabeth Lauer says donations from Give Local York will go towards increasing food selection and quantities at the food pantry and keeping other necessities in stock.

"We would like to continue to give neighbors that hand up," she said.

Keystone Kidspace encourages kids to get creative and learn in a way that interests them.

"Core to our mission is teaching kids that it's okay to craft and create and experiment the way that they want to, to color outside the lines, that it's okay to fail--you can learn from that; we're teaching kids and families how to be resilient and just do the things that they want to do," Jennifer Borden, director of visitor experience, said. "To give them materials and tools to tinker with the way that they want to, in a way that they might not otherwise have access to."

The nonprofit will use the money raised during Give Local York to build up their community outreach and bring programs to kids who cannot come to them.

Community Progress Council serves low- and moderate-income families to help move them out of poverty and towards self-sufficiency.

"We know that the barriers to get a family out of poverty are complex," Sarah Chain, director of marketing and communications, said. "And so we work with families comprehensively to move them forward on their path."

Donations from Give Local York will go towards furthering their mission to uplift families. The funds help the nonprofit support families navigate the "benefits cliff" as their wages rise enough to reduce their public benefits but not enough to close the poverty gap.

The Hanover Historical Society hosts many free events such as summer lawn concerts, Easter egg hunts, lectures and more. It also offers tours of historical sites in the area.

Money raised during Give Local York will help continue free programs for the community and expand the youth sector of the society.

"We want to bring in more youthful members to expand the longevity of the society for the future," Kenny Wright, a youth ambassador, said.

Shadowfax is another of these organizations.

The nonprofit was founded in 1985 and provides support and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities and autism.

Shadowfax currently runs 20 residential programs with nearly 60 people, day programs that offer support via employment, volunteerism and life skills training, and much more.

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