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Warren Gives set for today

From 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, “everyone can be a philanthropist.”

Thanks to Warren Gives and the match pool sponsors, donations to 103 entities in Warren County stretch.

Warren Gives returns for its sixth year hoping to live up to a tradition of increasing donations.

“Warren Gives is 103 organizations waiting to receive donations from their faithful followers…” Warren County Community Foundation Executive Director John Lasher said.

“… and a portion of the $40,000 match pool,” Warren Gives Coordinator Mark King said. “One of the things that makes this unique, this is the only one locally that I’m aware of that your donation grows.”

All 102 entities that were part of the event last year rolled over to this year and there is one new organization — the Warren County Children’s Advocacy Center.

There is a new entry in the match pool, too. “There is one new, local, anonymous sponsor,” King said.

That sponsor joins the Community Foundation, the Betts Foundation, the DeFrees Family Memorial Fund, Blair, the Northwest Charitable Foundation, the Sara Sokolski Memorial Fund, and United Refining Co. in providing a total of $40,000 to boost contributions.

All donations made to county entities through Warren Gives bring in a proportional piece of the match pool. Last year, the match added about 12 percent to every donation of $1,000 or less. Only the first $1,000 of an individual’s donations to an organization count toward the match.

Donors may make donations in honor of or in memory of someone.

“If an organization receives 10 percent of the donations, they receive 10 percent of the match,” Lasher said.

In the first five years of the event, donations (including matching funds) have grown each year: $146,194 in 2013; $225,402 in 2014; $302,130 in 2015; $310,323 in 2016; and $414,001 in 2017.

“Warren County is incredibly generous,” King said.

Every dollar donated and the full amount of the match pool goes to the organizations. There are no administrative fees taken out and “the Community Foundation covers all of the credit card processing cost,” Lasher said.

The Community Foundation also pays for all advertising for the event, King said. “You give $100, they get $100 plus the match.”

The minimum donation is $10.

Donors who have problems have some options.

“They can come here or they can call us at 726-9553,” Lasher said. “There are a number of organizations that provide event-day help.”

“There are 11 locations this year,” King said. “The Allegheny Community Center, Bollinger Enterprises, the Community Foundation, First Presbyterian Church, Paws and Shop, Sugar Grove Free Library, Tidioute Public Library, Warren County Historical Society, Warren County YMCA, Warren Public Library, and Youngsville Public Library.”

The event-day help locations have various hours of operation and, with the number of out-of-state donations increasing, Lasher emphasized that the Warren Gives hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern.

Warren Gives is not intended to replace organizations’ efforts. “Lots of people have pledge campaigns, and we hope people will continue to give to those,” King said.

Lasher said he expects some of the organizations will have celebration events at their home locations Wednesday.

“Not every organization has foot traffic,” King said. “If you do, don’t let them leave without letting them know it’s Warren Gives day.”

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