Give where you live
Local nonprofits need your support on North Texas Giving Day
By Sonia Duggan
Supporting a favorite local nonprofit or cause doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming if you live in North Texas thanks to a unique fundraising event started in 2009.
For 15 years, the Communities Foundation of Texas has hosted North Texas Giving Day (NTxGD), an 18-hour community-wide online giving event to build awareness and support nonprofits.
In 2022, the event raised $62.6 million for 3,210 nonprofits serving the 20-county North Texas community thanks to 94,385 donors, “bringing the 14-year total to over $503 million for our community,” reported the foundation.
On September 21, NTxGD kicks off one of the largest, annual community-wide fundraising events in the nation connecting North Texas nonprofits and supporters.
There are 27 cause areas to support on NTxGD including animal rescue, environment and conservation, human trafficking and exploitation, seniors, veterans and many more.
According to northtexasgivingday.org, organizations can partner with the foundation by hosting employee giving campaigns, offering financial matches for key nonprofits and host custom-designed and branded platform year-round.
For donors, early giving begins Sept. 1- Sept. 20. The website simplifies the process of researching reliable information and making charitable donations in set or custom amounts to the beneficiary of your choice.
For nonprofits, the special giving day serves as another awareness building and fundraising tool designed to support their organizational goals so they may better serve the communities.
Listed below are just a few of the many In & Around Magazine Champions that are participating in North Texas Giving Day this year. Search northtexasgivingday.org to join in on the Giving Day movement by supporting your favorite events, teams, fundraisers or local nonprofits on or before Sept. 21!
Amazing Grace Food Pantry
Mission: Helping in the fight against hunger in North Texas through Christ’s love and the generosity of the community.
Goal: $5,000
The pantry relies upon the generosity of the community and the varied talents of dedicated volunteers to procure, sort, and distribute over 60 thousand pounds of food each month.
Funds raised during this year’s NTxGD will be used for purchasing healthy and easy to prepare foods for the AGFP Food4Kids program.
Karen Ellis, CEO of Amazing Grace Food Pantry, said the pantry delivers 120 weekend backpacks of kid friendly food to area schools every week during the school year. However, the number of families in need “is growing at an alarming rate,” Ellis said. “As the numbers increase, so does our need to increase our weekly stock to meet the challenge.”
Coventry Reserve
Mission: To respect, challenge and support adults with special needs through creative therapeutic programs in a Christ-centered environment.
Goal: $100,000
The nonprofit provides a day program for adults with physical and cognitive needs who can no longer attend school programs at its facility located in St. Paul. Deborah Crosby, Coventry outreach & development coordinator, said funds raised on NTGD will help make “the dream a reality” following the purchase of the adjacent acreage to the north of their property. Coventry’s goal is to reduce the debt incurred by the recent land purchase.
Also included in the purchase was a house which is being remodeled to serve as their new Respite House. Crosby said the long-term goal of Coventry Director Darlene Blakey “is for Coventry to be a community campus serving both the special needs community and the able-bodied community.”
In-Sync Exotics
Mission: Dedicated to the rescue of abused, neglected and unwanted exotic felines.
Goal: $200,000
The Wylie nonprofit is home to over 77 exotic cats and two lemurs. Funds collected on this year’s NTxGD will be used for the care of In-Sync’s exotic big cats, including over $20,000 per month in feeding expenses, veterinary care and maintenance, and upgrades of enclosures, dens and the sanctuary.
“NTxGD is one of the leading fundraising opportunities in our yearly plans and budget,” said In-Sync Founder and Director Vickey Keahey. “The funds raised allow us to not only care for the cats, but also make needed upgrades and improvements to the sanctuary to give the cats a happy, healthy and safe environment to live for the rest of their lives.”
5 Loaves Food Pantry
Mission: The faith-based organization provides supports for all ages to nourish both body and soul.
Goal: $100,000
The pantry has a goal to expand its newest ministry, Beacon of Hope, to a 10,000 square foot center — to be built in 2024— where nonprofits join together to provide wrap around services such as counseling and healthcare, along with mentorship programs, childcare and classes that help provide families with direction all while giving them hope and guiding them to a better life.
“This year is filled with a dream and a goal to give families HOPE,” said Founder and Director Audrey Wallace. “I am so grateful to all those who give so we can help guide them to a better life.”
Love Looks Like This
Mission: To minimize the adverse impacts facing young adults aging out of foster care by facilitating mentorships, education, and training, improving self-advocacy and building circles of support.
Goal: $25,000
Love Looks Like This Founder and Executive Director Brady Cottle is joining in on the NTxGD fundraising efforts for the first time this year.
Cottle said the nonprofit, formed in 2022, “will use the funds to expand our ability to provide transition to adulthood support services to more system connected youth ages 16-24 which includes youth aging out of foster care and former foster youth and other at-risk groups.”
“Our goal is to help youth establish strong community connections in all areas of life that help them thrive,” Cottle said, “and increase opportunities for success and avoiding the many risk factors such as high rates of homelessness, addiction, incarceration, low graduation and continued education, high rates of unemployment and low rates of community mobility.”
Shutt’er Down Ranch & Rescue
Mission: To provide a forever safe haven to rescued farm animals
Goal: $10,000
Shutt’er Down Ranch is a 30-acre sanctuary in Farmersville and home to Girty’s Place Animal Rescue, a rescue focused on medically injured animals in need of rescue and rehabilitation. In 2022, NTxGD funds were used for fencing and feed for all 200 ranch animals. This year, the nonprofit needs additional funds to expand the livestock pens on the property. Additionally, SDRR said its Rescue Bank nonprofit, a charity that supports other animal rescue groups to provide much needed pet food and supplies, distributed over $6 million in food and supplies to rescues in 2022.
Texas Therapeutic Riding Center
Mission: At Texas Therapeutic Riding Center, individuals with diverse needs experience the healing power of the horse through equine assisted activities and therapies, facilitated by a professional and passionate community.
Goal: $60,000
Last year’s NTxGD funds went directly toward horse care, one of TxTRC’s biggest operating expenses. This year, the Wylie nonprofit hopes to raise funds for an arena at its new location on McMillen Drive.
“We currently have 100 people on our waiting list, but with our current riding space, we are limited to how many students we can accommodate,” said TxTRC board member Carrie Lindsey. “An arena would allow us to serve more people in our community and give our current riders more space to ride. This is our number one need right now behind basic horse care expenses.”