Sep 11, 2015 2 min read

The Washington County Community Foundation’s third annual “Day of Giving” raised more than $635,000 for 91 area charities Wednesday during its 12-hour online fundraising drive. When combined with the WCCF’s $100,000 bonus pool, participating charities will receive portions of more than $735,000.

Donations increased by more than $100,000 compared to last year, and WCCF President and Chief Executive Officer Bestie Trew said the number of donors grew by 50 to 100 percent for roughly 50 percent of the participating charities. Additionally, Trew said a change to the way charities receive a portion of the $100,000 bonus pool also increased individual participants’ totals. Charities are now rewarded for the amount of money they bring in and the number of individual donors to their cause.

“This change was made to help level the playing field for smaller charities that don’t have the ability to secure larger donations, and to reinforce to all charities the importance of building an ever-increasing base of donors,” Trew said. “The charities who recognized the opportunity provided by this change and took steps to capitalize on it will be rewarded by larger bonus amounts than under our previous method.”

The charity that had the greatest percentage increase in the number of donors was the Monongahela Area Library, which went from 13 donors in 2014 to 126 donors in 2015. Washington City Mission secured both the greatest contribution total, more than $75,000, and the most donors, 226.

Trew said this year’s drive was “very productive” and she is already looking forward to next year’s campaign.

“This shows that our community really cares,” she said. “To give that much money on one day is amazing.”