The Southwest Nebraska Big Give on Thursday, Nov. 2 involves a lot of numbers:
38 non-profit organizations
8 giving stations
1 drive-through location
9 power hours
Dozens of sponsors
But perhaps the most important numbers range in the hundreds if not thousands: the donors. This Thursday, Nov. 2, donors from McCook, throughout Nebraska and Kansas, from across the country and around the world will come together to make an impact for these dozens of charitable organizations. Each and every dollar adds up to help these groups continue, to grow, and to thrive. These groups depend on these donations to make their projects happen, to keep their doors open and to improve the services they provide.
Donations can be given to the Big Give organizations any time of year - and should be - but during the Big Give, these groups get an extra lift thanks to generous sponsors throughout Southwest Nebraska.
In the final few days before the Big Give, here are the final few non-profits which will take part in the one-day of giving event:
Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska is instrumental in numerous programs, benefitting hundreds of individuals and families every year. The area’s under-served population needs these programs to exist, which is why Community Action partnership has been a part of the Big Give since it began in 2016.
Another long-time partner of the Big Give is the McCook YMCA. The YMCA is the home for youth and adult sports, swimming for both fitness and recreation, exercise classes, after-school programs and the social hub for many community members. The YMCA has existed in McCook for nearly a century and looks forward to serving the community for years to come.
Prairie Plains CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) serves a special role in the community, by providing trained citizen volunteers to advocate for a foster child's right to be safe, to be treated with dignity, and to flourish in the care of a loving family.
And the Southwest Nebraska Big Give wouldn’t exist if not for the McCook Community Chest, which coordinates the one day of giving. The volunteer committee oversees the website, obtains the sponsors, lines up the giving stations, all in the hopes of raising funds not only for the Community Chest but all the organizations involved in the Big Give.
Over the past four weeks, all the non-profits in the Big Give have been highlighted but more information about each can be found on the website, swnebiggive.org.
Additionally, a complete list of Big Give sponsors is on the website including the platinum sponsors, Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank, and gold sponsors, Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank.
Follow Southwest Nebraska Big Give on Facebook on Nov. 2 for up-to-date totals, along with upcoming power hours and giving station updates.
McCOOK - The Southwest Nebraska Big Give is nearly here, with the non-profit organizations finalizing plans for the 8th annual event on Thursday, Nov. 2.
While many of those organizations serve a specific purpose or project, the many foundations which are part of the Big Give have a focus on raising money for further charitable purposes in the community.
Foundations taking part in the Big Give cover the entire area from Haigler to Cambridge and everywhere in between including:
Hillcrest Nursing Home Foundation has been a part of the Big Give since its inception in 2016 and has a dual role during the one-day of giving. Not only is Hillcrest a recipient, but the nursing home also serves as the lone drive-thru giving station. It will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to take in-person donations, as well as a power hour at 11 a.m.
The McCook College Foundation joins the Big Give for the first time, but arrives with several large projects planned for McCook Community College. The McCook Educational Foundation works along McCook Public Schools to provide scholarships for graduating seniors, as well as funds for various activities including field trips and attendance awards.
The Community Hospital Health Foundation is another original organization of the Big Give, which was formed in 1985 and helps with capital improvements, purchasing equipment, patient assistance and providing education and training to patients and staff. Community Hospital is also a supporter of the Big Give, serving as a sponsor for matching funds and the power hour donations.
Tri Valley Medical Foundation joins as one of two organizations in the Big Give from Cambridge, with funds going toward supporting and enhancing the healthcare mission of Tri Valley Health System.
The Haigler Community Foundation is the furthest west organization taking part in the Big Give, representing the small village of Haigler that has big dreams.
And finally, the McCook Community Foundation Fund helped begin the Big Give, originally called Big Give McCook, after seeing the impact these events were having across the state. MCFF advisory committee members have a focus on long-term planned giving, but also realize the importance of the need for funding of projects and operational expenses, which the Big Give can go toward.
The 2023 Southwest Nebraska Big Give is made possible because of sponsors providing matching funds which are used during the “power hours” throughout the day, as well as overall matching funds for each organization based upon their totals.
Platinum and gold sponsors include Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank, Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank.
More information about the Big Give and all the organizations participating can be found at www.swnebiggive.org. Online donations will begin to be accepted at 12 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 2 through 11:59 p.m. A complete list of in-person giving stations can be found on the website.
Big Give
Friday, October 20, 2023
Ronda Graff | McCook Community Foundation Fund
As the 2023 Southwest Nebraska Big Give grows closer, the organizers are making final preparations for the one-day of giving on Nov. 2.
The final meetings about the Big Give have taken place, the giving-station envelopes have been printed and the activities scheduled for Nov. 2 are being finalized. The Big Give continues to grow and has the most organizations to date, with 39 non-profit organizations taking part in the 8th annual event.
While many of the organizations have a wide-ranging focus, several are fairly specific to a purpose and cause, usually involving animals or housing, history and sports.
Included in the 2023 Big Give will be Southwest Nebraska Habitat for Humanity, which is in the midst of completing a house in McCook.
The McCook K9 Korner led the creation of a dog park at Barnett Park in McCook, but continues to improve the location by adding agility equipment for our four-legged friends. The Mccook Humane Society has ever-increasing needs, often seeing a full-house of cats and dogs.
And with a focus on sports, the McCook Legion Baseball Boosters continue to work to keep youth active and involved, on and off the baseball field.
Several organizations are dedicated to keeping arts and history alive and growing in our communities. The McCook Arts Council recently oversaw the decication of McCook as a certified Creative Nebraska with the Nebraska Arts Council and works with nearly every arts and culture organization in the area. The McCook Art Guild regularly highlights artists and their artwork from McCook, Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas.
The Fox Theater (AEVPA) has seen many improvements to its historic building over the years and hopes to use donations from the Big Give to continue that evolution.
New to the Big Give, the Sixth Floor Project is working to bring art of all forms and styles to Southwest Nebraska.
And showing that food can be artistic as well as practical, the McCook Community Kitchen joins the Big Give this year.
On the historical side, the High Plains Historical Society immortilizes the area's history at the High Plains Museum, while the Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society continues to make research of our lineage accessible to as many citizens as possible.
The Norris Institute strives to keep the memory of Sen. George Norris alive through various projects and events, including Norris Alley between the Fox and Keystone in downtown McCook and the Norris Prayer Breakfast, held during McCook's Heritage Days.
The Southwest Nebraska Big Give could not happen without generous sponsors including the platinum sponsors, Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank. Gold sponsors include Community Hosptial and First Interstate Bank; silver sponsors, Golden Plains Realty and Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel and Horizon Bank; and bronze sponsors, First Central Bank, First State Bank and Insurance, MNB Insurance, Pinnacle Bank, State Farm-Linda Maiden and Waypoint Bank.
More information about the organizations, giving stations and power hours can be found on the Big Give website, swnebiggive.org and by following Southwest Nebraska Big Give on Facebook.
Big Give unites non-profits serving generations from elderly to youoth
Friday, October 13, 2023
Ronda Graff | McCook Community Foundation Fund
McCOOK, Neb. – Non-profit organizations serve a variety of roles in a community. Some benefit the area youth. Others are there for the local elderly. But many serve multiple generations, multiple needs, and multiple groups within our community.
Many of those organizations will be part of the 7th annual Southwest Nebraska Big Give on Nov. 2. Continuing the month-long series about the non-profit organizations leading up to the Big Give, the following organizations offer a wide-range of services, meeting the needs of a wide-range of citizens.
Organizations in Southwest Nebraska with a focus on both ends of the generational spectrum are the Curtis Area Senior Center for the elderly and the Little Village Daycare in Stratton for the youngest members of the community. The Breakaway, formerly known as the Discovery Center Children’s Museum, hopes to bring a facility for area youth and the Overland Trails Council-Boy Scouts of America continues to introduce boys and girls in the area to scouting.
Other Big Give groups that are reaching out to those in need include the American Legion – Corporal Carl Heath Post 95, the ABC Pregnancy Help Center, the Domestic Abuse/Sexual Assault Services, the Family Resource Center, and the Salvation Army.
The Big Give website, www.swnebiggive.org, is up-to-date with information about each organization, including upcoming projects. The website will also list all the in-person giving stations and power-hour locations. And follow Big Give on Facebook at Southwest Nebraska Big Give leading up to the Nov. 2 event and throughout the day for current totals and activities.
Donations will only be accepted online from midnight to midnight on Nov. 2, but bookmark the Southwest Nebraska Big Give website to prepare for one of the most important days of the year for McCook and Southwest Nebraska.
--
Ronda Graff
By RONDA GRAFF
MCFF
McCOOK – The 7th annual Big Give on Nov. 2 will look a bit different this year with a new logo, a new website and Facebook page and most notably, a new name: Southwest Nebraska Big Give. But the 24-hours of giving still serves the same purpose: to help area non-profit organizations meet their financial needs.
Formerly known at Big Give McCook, the switch to Southwest Nebraska Big Give happened to better reflect the organizations which were already part of the annual day of giving. For the past several years, organizations from Curtis to Cambridge to Stratton were already part of Big Give McCook. With the new name, the Community Chest committee, which oversees the Big Give, hopes sponsors and donors throughout Southwest Nebraska will also feel more included in the important annual event.
The 2023 Big Give could also see a record number of non-profits represented, which are all listed on the new Big Give website, swnebbiggive.org. Over the next month leading up to the Big Give on Thursday, Nov. 2, all the organizations participating will be highlighted in weekly news stories.
First up is perhaps the biggest category of organizations: those benefitting our young people. TeamMates, started by former Nebraska football coach Dr. Tom and Nancy Osborne, is represented in four communities including the Teammates Mentoring Program of McCook, TeamMates of Cambridge, TeamMates of Southern Valley and the Maywood TeamMates chapter. TeamMates matches an young people in at least 4th grade with adult volunteer to help build a positive relationship with a student to help them reach their full potential.
Several area schools are also represented. St. Patrick Elementary in McCook has been active with the Big Give since its inception in 2016. Others organizations include the Medicine Valley Public Schools Foundation, Southwest Public Schools Foundation and Little Village Daycare in Stratton.
The Big Give website is up-to-date with information about each organization, including upcoming projects. The website will also list all the in-person giving stations and power-hour locations. And follow Big Give on Facebook at Southwest Nebraska Big Give leading up to the Nov. 2 event and throughout the day for current totals and activities.
Donations will only be accepted online from midnight to midnight on Nov. 2, but bookmark the Southwest Nebraska Big Give website to prepare for one of the most important days of the year for McCook and Southwest Nebraska.