Groups gearing up for 'Big Give McCook' Nov. 3

McCOOK, Neb. -- When Community Chest organizers held a kick-off barbecue a few months ago for Big Give McCook, the online and in-person donation event seemed far away. Now, the 24-hour fund-raiser is just a few weeks away - from midnight to midnight on Thursday, Nov. 3.

The giving stations are finalized, the matching grants have been gathered and the online website is up and running. While there is still a lot to do between now and Nov. 3, organizers are excited about the potential to change the way people give in McCook and to get people excited about helping those organizations they are most passionate about.

The purpose of a Big Give Day is to connect donors to the charitable causes they care about, said Community Chest co-chair Lisa Felker. It is also a concentrated way to bring attention to the local non-profit organizations which rely on these donations for funding throughout the year. Big Give McCook replaces the annual end-of-the-year campaign usually conducted by Community Chest. Instead, donors will have the ability to donate online at the Big Give McCook website, www.biggivemccook.org, where they can choose up to 10 organizations at once.

Or people will be able to donate in person with a check or cash at "giving stations" set up around McCook. Again, donors can choose to give to one, two or all of the organizations included in the Big Give McCook event.

Giving stations will be available during regular business hours at the following businesses: YMCA, McCook National Bank, Great Western Bank, Horizon Bank, First Central Bank and Hillcrest Nursing Home. That means, all the banks' regular lobby hours, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the YMCA and 6 a.m.-10 p.m. at Hillcrest.

Another important aspect of the Big Give McCook event includes the support from several local businesses through sponsorships and matching grants.

Platinum sponsors for Big Give McCook are McCook National Bank and the Graff Charitable Foundation. The Graff Charitable Foundation has pledged a $25,000 matching grant, which will be used to match all grants given during the 24-hour donation period.

Other general corporate sponsorships have been provided, which will be used for "power hours" during the day. All giving stations will have two "power hours" during the Big Give McCook. For example, all donations made at the YMCA's 5-6 a.m. power hour will be doubled for those organizations selected by the donor.

The organizations included in the 2016 Big Give McCook event are Adult Basic Education; Domestic Abuse/Sexual Assault Services; Ed Thomas YMCA; Family Resource Center; Live Y'ers; Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska; McCook Community Chest; McCook Humane Society; MNCA Head Start, Homeless Prevention, & Commodity Supplemental Food Program; Prairie Plains CASA; Share the Heat; Southwest Nebraska Habitat for Humanity; TeamMates Mentoring Program of McCook; The Salvation Army; and the McCook Community Foundation Fund.

For more information about the organizations involved in Big Give McCook or a complete list of giving station hours, visit the Big Give website, www.biggivemccook.org, find Big Give McCook on Facebook or contact Lisa Felker at MNB, 308-345-4240.