PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Thursday’s Thanksgiving segues into Giving Tuesday this year.
Dozens of nonprofits in the Wood River Valley are hoping you will join in supporting them on Giving Tuesday—Dec. 1.
Mountain Humane, for instance can double your gift, thanks to a $5,000 matching donation from Linda and Bill Potter. Camp Rainbow Gold will use that day to kick off its year-end campaign as it seeks to build its new camp near Fairfield. And the Sun Valley Wellness Festival and Conference is seeking gifts to keep pricing accessible and provide scholarships—last year a scholarship request came from a young person studying medicine in Mexico who wanted to use what he learned from SVWFC speakers to create positive change in his community.
The Wood River Land Trust, Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center and the Wood River Trails Coalition have teamed up to spread the word about the importance of charitable giving in the valley as we head into the giving season.
“We know that it can seem daunting to dive into charitable giving, with all of the non-profits here in the Wood River Valley, and only limited financial resources, where do you begin?” said Liz Pedersen, annual fund manager with the Wood River Land Trust.
Sara Gress, executive director of the Wood River Trails Coalition, concurred: “While getting into giving might seem intimidating, it is super important! Here at the Wood River Trails Coalition we rely on donors of all sizes - the $5 or $10-a-month donors are really our backbone.”
People can have the most impact by becoming a monthly sustaining member somewhere, said Pedersen.
“Monthly sustaining members are so important to the day-to-day operations of an organization. Here at the Land Trust we rely on sustaining members for things like trail maintenance, keeping the preserves clean, making sure our staff has a seat at the table during regional planning meetings and so much more,” she added.
Monthly giving is so important for small and seasonal organizations, said Stephanie Eisenbarth, executive director of the Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center: “People think of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center as a seasonal organization because they usually only check the forecasts during the winter, but we rely on support all year.”
When starting to look at your own household budget and how much you can give, here are some simple steps you can follow:
- Set a budget: 1% of your annual income is a great place to begin. Say you make $30,000, that would be $300/year that you could invest back into your community
- Become a Sustaining Member: Your money can have the most impact through monthly memberships. Think of it like a membership to a streaming service - except way better!
- Divide Up the Rest: After you take your monthly membership out of your annual budget, take the remainder and make a contribution to other organizations.
- Grow Your Giving: As you can increase the amount of your income that you can use to support the causes you love, consider expanding within this structure: Has your budget increased enough to add another sustaining membership? Do you want to use your budget as it grows to invest deeper into your first membership (increasing the amount you’re giving)? Do you want to grow your budget to add more one-time donations to other causes?
The three noted that this has been “an incredibly tumultuous year” for many in the Wood River Valley, and they understand that not everyone will have the ability invest in the non-profits that make the valley so special right away.
But, they noted, participating in Giving Tuesday and giving back to the community in any amount can be a rewarding way to look around you and say “I helped make this possible.”
“Donations of all sizes are what keep our Valley full of the amazing amenities that we all enjoy,” said Gress. “I hope folks are inspired to start investing in what makes this place so special!”
To learn more, check out this four-minute video: https://vimeo.com/470035014