Arizona Gives Day a chance to help those in need

Yuma's nonprofit organizations are often in need of a helping hand.

And today, there's a movement across the state to give those agencies a little added boost.

Organizers of Arizona Gives Day are asking donors to contribute to any Arizona nonprofit of their choice in a one-day online-giving event, in the hopes of boosting revenue for organizations across our community.

For many of these nonprofit agencies, as the economy struggles, their budgets have become stretched to their maximum.

Event organizer Janell Johnson noted that for many of these groups, state and federal grants have been greatly reduced or eliminated, adding further stress at a time when the need is greatest.

The Yuma Community Food Bank, for example, services 24,000 people in Yuma County each month, and relies on donations to keep its programs afloat.

Meanwhile, local crisis center Amberly's Place served nearly 2,000 victims in 2012. The organization depends on support and donations from the community to provide victims with assistance such as lodging or clothing, medications, food or formula.

Around 30 local agencies have signed up for Arizona Gives Day. The program helps give nonprofits access to fundraising resources that they otherwise wouldn't have, with marketing, technical assistance and education.

While this is the first Arizona Gives Day event in our state, similar efforts in other states have raised millions in just a single day – an added boost for organizations in desperate need.

Donors are asked to go online to give a minimum of $10 to the nonprofit of their choice.

For every dollar donated, 95 cents goes directly to the specified nonprofit organization, with the remaining five cents going to cover the cost of the credit card transaction. The donations are tax-deductible.

Those interested in donating should visit www.azgives.org, where it is possible to search by organization name, by keyword, by category or by zip code, to see what's available here.

Join the campaign Yuma, and give what you can to help our agencies assist those in need.