Before we get started, let’s talk about some words you might see on our website.
Donation: A donation is when you give money, things, or time to help others without expecting anything in return.
Nonprofit: A nonprofit is a group of people who work together to help others, not to make money for themselves. They use donations to do good things for the community, like helping animals, creating art, or protecting the environment.
Philanthropy/Philanthropist: Philanthropy means “the love of humanity.” A philanthropist is someone who shows love by giving their time, money, or resources to make the world a better place.
Talk with your family about how much money you can donate this year. You can use your allowance, earn extra money by helping neighbors, or ask your friends and family to join you in donating. Remember, you don’t have to give a lot to make a big difference. Last year, the average donation on our website from adults was $135, but together we raised $1 million! When philanthropists work together, we can make a huge impact!
Take some time to think about what is important to you and your family. Are you passionate about animals? Do you like to hike together? Do you have a family member who serves in the military? How about do you know someone who has an illness or a special need? There are 65 nonprofits in 11 different categories on our website, so there is probably a nonprofit that works on an issue that's important to you. Make a list of those things and see if you can match them up to a local organization.
Head to the Meet Our Nonprofits page to learn about the different nonprofits in the Give! Campaign this year. Each nonprofit has a website with photos, videos, and an explanation about what they do and why they are asking for your help. To participate in our website, the nonprofits have already passed a test to make sure they are a good organization that really does make a difference in our community. No matter who you choose to support, we promise they are doing good work.
After you’ve done your research, start donating! You can either donate directly from the nonprofit page at the top and add to cart, or you can head to the donate checklist and add your amounts to the list. Once you have finished picking all the nonprofits you want to support and used your budget, you can check out with one credit card transaction. For a fun surprise, in the Secret Code box put the word FAMILY and the number of children in your house. So, if there are 3 kids in your family, put FAMILY 3 in the Secret Code box. We’ll send you a fun surprise to go along with your Reward Perks. Oh yeah, did we mention you can get perks for donating? Check out the Rewards section to see what perks are available.
Woohoo! Yay! Congratulations!
You are now a philanthropist! Thank you for helping your community. Together we will make a difference one donation at a time. Now that you are a philanthropist by donating money, you can also reach out to the nonprofits to find out if there is a way you can donate your time or volunteer with them. Their website and contact information is on their page!
Parents: Thank you for raising the next generation of philanthropists!
If you have teenagers or young adults in your life, they can take part in our Young Donor Challenge for nonprofits. The donation amount doesn’t matter—only their age does! If they’re donating their own money (even if it’s through your credit card), simply enter their birth year on the checkout page so the nonprofit receives credit for their contribution in the challenge.
Have questions? Feel free to reach out at give@givepikespeaks.org—we’re here to help!
Want to share this Give! Guide for Families with your friends? Download a PDF HERE
