Around the country, communities are coming together on #GivingTuesday. Our community leaders range from volunteer leaders to community foundations to large nonprofit organizations. What they have in common is a belief that bringing the community together around the spirit of collective generosity on #GivingTuesday has ripple effects far beyond the day. In this series, we’re sharing some of the highlights of #GivingTuesday community campaigns.
Encouraging Cowlitz and Wahkiakum residents to give, volunteer, speak up, give goods, and perform random acts of kindness across the their community.
Connect with UWCW and the #GiveCandW campaign Get Involved
Rallying small counties!
Q&A with Rachel Strand, Community Resource Coordinator, United Way of Cowlitz & Wahkiakum Counties.
Q. What inspired UWCW to become a #GivingTuesday community campaign leader?
A. We went to a United Way Conference in Florida and heard about there from a sister United Way. We wanted to be focused on how we can make an impact community-wide and no better way!
Q. How does #GivingTuesday help you expand your impact in C & W?
A. Our organization fights for the health, education and financial stability for every person in Cowlitz & Wahkiakum Counties. #GivingTuesday helps us expand that impact by acting as a resource hub for those agencies/organizations that don’t have the time or capacity to do so. We want everyone to succeed in our county, not just us or our Partner Agencies.
Q. Tell us about your campaign. What’s your goal? How are you building awareness and excitement?
A. We have created a Wish List Catalog featuring 27 organizations. We engaged nonprofits by getting out there, emailing and selling the idea. This is the first year we have had #GivingTuesday in the area and people were skeptical until we explained it. Then they thought it was such a neat idea! We are sharing our catalog via Facebook, website, twitter and old school print versions.
Q. Tell us something unique about your campaign this year.
A. We created a whole catalog! We are telling each participating organization that they can make their own marketing tools to promote the idea. We are a small, mill town community and we hope to win them over!
Q. How has your community come together through this #GivingTuesday campaign?
A. For very small counties it is amazing to see all of us come together. We all need either donations of items, money or volunteers. Our community is really great at stepping up and joining forces for the common good.
