The United Way of the Greater Capital Region is looking to raise more than $500,000 for local nonprofits in one day.
Marking the nonprofit’s upcoming annual 518 Day of Giving, a nod to the region’s area code, more than a thousand volunteers around the region will work to raise $518,000 for local organizations.
Speaking at Capital Roots’ community garden in Troy Thursday, Capital Region United Way President and CEO Peter Gannon says this is the region’s first and largest online fundraiser.
“There’s only so many walls we can paint,” Gannon says. “Only so many farms we can hoe. At the end of the day what our nonprofits need at this time in history is cash.”
Gannon says 145 nonprofits will work together to reach the goal. He says the initiative has blossomed in just six years. Gannon says with roughly 1 million people in the Capital Region, the goal can be met. Gannon says the effort is modeled after similar fundraisers like United Way of Rhode Island, which raised $3.8 million earlier this month.
“518 Day is a great day to volunteer and get engaged in your community,” Gannon said. “But quite honestly, if I'm being totally candid, it doesn't move the needle much. And so, our hope and our intention behind it always at United Way was to use it as a catalyst to get people to volunteer all year long.”
Gannon says the addition of a fundraiser complements the day associated with volunteerism.
First-term Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello says an asset like Capital Roots’ community garden, which will host a volunteer opportunity for the Day of Giving, unites residents.
“It's really about building partnerships. And to me what 518 Give represents is all about our region,” Mantello said. “What's good for Troy is good for Albany, good for Schenectady. But the backbone of our communities are our neighborhoods, are our people. And so, if we don't have that backbone, if people aren't stepping up to the plate, everything we do in government, everything we do in our nonprofits is all for naught.”
There’s more information at 518day.org.
