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Greece, N.Y. —
If you want to get into the spirit of giving this year, you're about to have a great chance.
Tomorrow, more than 670 not-for-profit organizations from the nine-county region will be participating in "ROC the Day," an online donation drive organized and promoted by United Way.
The event runs from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. at ROCtheday.org
Michelle Kraft, spokeswoman for United Way of Greater Rochester says while this is the first day-long, regional online donation drive for the region, it's been a successful fundraiser in other cities for not-for-profits.
It also sticks with the trend of donations becoming more online-oriented, she said.
"Knowing Rochester is such a generous community, we know it would work here," she said.
For not-for-profits that are smaller or more niche-oriented in the community, ROC the Day is a way for them to reach new audiences, as the online donation platform uses a search field where donors can look up a charity based on type without knowing the exact name.
Julie Mersereau, chair of the Lupus Foundation of Genesee Valley board, says awareness of such organizations can help further their causes. The foundation, created in 1985, offers patient and family support services, lupus education, and participates in health legislation advocacy efforts.
"Everybody needs more funding than they can get, that's just the way of the non-profit world," she said. "We need as much awareness as we can get about our foundation."
ROC the Day promotion has spanned social media and traditional advertisements like billboards, with many of the participating organizations sending email alerts to generate buzz.
Susan Parrino, the executive director of the Lakeside Foundation in Brockport, also says online donations are the way of the future. The hospital, elderly care and wellness center support foundation recently redesigned its website to streamline gifts and ticket sales.
"When (United Way) came forward with this, we knew this would be a great way to send out some correspondence via email and encourage people to give online," Parrino said.
Countywide organizations, like CrimeStoppers, will also be participating. The group is using it as a way to bolster their ongoing effort, CrimeStoppers Community Challenge.
“Our goal is to raise enough money with a year-end fundraising push to finance our next Felony Fugitive Flyer,” said board chair Paul Hawkins in a statement. The not-for-profit crime hotline publishes an advertisement six times a year that displays photos of wanted felons and offers rewards for tips that lead to arrests, and has a capture rate to 90 to 95 percent.
All day Thursday, the website will be updated, with 24 donors throughout the day chosen at random to give an extra $500 to a not-for-profit of their choice. Many participating organizations are eligible to receive one of five $1,000 bonus donations.
If you want to get into the spirit of giving this year, you're about to have a great chance.
Tomorrow, more than 670 not-for-profit organizations from the nine-county region will be participating in "ROC the Day," an online donation drive organized and promoted by United Way.
The event runs from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. at ROCtheday.org
Michelle Kraft, spokeswoman for United Way of Greater Rochester says while this is the first day-long, regional online donation drive for the region, it's been a successful fundraiser in other cities for not-for-profits.
It also sticks with the trend of donations becoming more online-oriented, she said.
"Knowing Rochester is such a generous community, we know it would work here," she said.
For not-for-profits that are smaller or more niche-oriented in the community, ROC the Day is a way for them to reach new audiences, as the online donation platform uses a search field where donors can look up a charity based on type without knowing the exact name.
Julie Mersereau, chair of the Lupus Foundation of Genesee Valley board, says awareness of such organizations can help further their causes. The foundation, created in 1985, offers patient and family support services, lupus education, and participates in health legislation advocacy efforts.
"Everybody needs more funding than they can get, that's just the way of the non-profit world," she said. "We need as much awareness as we can get about our foundation."
ROC the Day promotion has spanned social media and traditional advertisements like billboards, with many of the participating organizations sending email alerts to generate buzz.
Susan Parrino, the executive director of the Lakeside Foundation in Brockport, also says online donations are the way of the future. The hospital, elderly care and wellness center support foundation recently redesigned its website to streamline gifts and ticket sales.
"When (United Way) came forward with this, we knew this would be a great way to send out some correspondence via email and encourage people to give online," Parrino said.
Countywide organizations, like CrimeStoppers, will also be participating. The group is using it as a way to bolster their ongoing effort, CrimeStoppers Community Challenge.
“Our goal is to raise enough money with a year-end fundraising push to finance our next Felony Fugitive Flyer,” said board chair Paul Hawkins in a statement. The not-for-profit crime hotline publishes an advertisement six times a year that displays photos of wanted felons and offers rewards for tips that lead to arrests, and has a capture rate to 90 to 95 percent.
All day Thursday, the website will be updated, with 24 donors throughout the day chosen at random to give an extra $500 to a not-for-profit of their choice. Many participating organizations are eligible to receive one of five $1,000 bonus donations.
