An annual fundraising campaign that provides a significant boost to the community foundations in the region returns next week.
Area residents are encouraged to make donations to their local foundation between Nov. 13 and 19 as part of the Endow Manitoba Giving Challenge.
For this week only, every gift will be stretched by the Winnipeg Foundation and the Manitoba government, increasing the amount the local foundations receive, and in some cases, there are even more companies and businesses adding even more stretching dollars.
“We get great support during the giving challenge,” said Myra Peters, executive director of the Winkler Community Foundation.
“It’s a great opportunity for donations to go even further with the stretching dollars that are available,” she said. “It’s fun to see that when you give a gift of $20 that it’s going to go even further.
“It definitely can go a long way to impacting our community. The gift is never spent. It’s invested, and each year it gives back to the community … it’s supporting local initiatives and making our communities better.”
Online gifts can be made securely through endowMB.org, but you can also contact your community foundation for more giving options.
The Winnipeg Foundation and the Manitoba government are committed to the growth of community foundations across Manitoba with each providing a maximum stretch of $2,000 per foundation. Each foundation can receive up to $4,000 in stretch funding when they raise a minimum of $10,000.
In Morden, Décor Cabinets also commits another $6,000 stretch fund. This generous donation means the first $10,000 gifted to the Morden Area Foundation will be stretched to $20,000.
In Winkler, the stretch will go even further with other stretching sponsors committing up to $2,000 each, noted Peters.
“Winkler has 16 businesses that are contributing stretching dollars … so if you give $5, you actually get an additional $16, so it’s $21.”
Donations to a community foundation are pooled and permanently invested. Gifts are never spent and the money will always stay in the community. Every year, these investments generate money that is distributed to support local charitable needs, so the community foundations provide local support that lasts forever.
Manitoba is home to 56 community foundations, which is more than any other area of the country. Every year, these foundations invest millions of dollars into a wide range of local charitable projects, so they help ensure our hometowns are vibrant and thriving.
“This is a great opportunity to support your local Foundation,” says Corey Hildebrand, chairperson of the Winkler Community Foundation. “Of course, we welcome gifts at any time, but giving between Nov. 13 – 19 means extra support. We’re so excited to see what our community can accomplish.”
