Georgia Magazine - November 2020 - 27

them: be aware of this legislation, write your senator, write your
congressperson. Knowing that they are kind of a watchdog out
there for the nonprofit community ... It's very helpful to have
them in my corner."

The Georgia Center for Nonprofits has always emphasized
nonprofits' resiliency. And with many of its members coping
with the COVID-19 crisis, longevity and sustainability have risen
to the forefront of most nonprofit missions.
"It's not just about getting through the now," says Luiza
Raposo, senior director of marketing and communications at
the Georgia Center for Nonprofits. "We want these nonprofits to
last and be resilient to all challenges over time."
Starting in March, the center published a COVID-19
resource page on its website that has proven invaluable to many
nonprofits navigating a new reality. It includes webinars and
training programs on topics such as applying for federal aid and
switching to virtual events and fundraisers.
"This year specifically, they have really been on the forefront of helping us pivot while dealing with COVID and all
the challenges that the nonprofit community has been thrust
into," Guynn says. "They have been very calm and precise and
provided solid leadership."
In addition to providing resources, the center held a special
May fundraising drive in partnership with GivingTuesday,
which raised more than $1 million to support Georgia nonprofits through a difficult 2020.

GAgives on GivingTuesday
Every year in November or December, the center hosts
Georgia's annual nonprofit giving event in partnership with a
host of corporate, civic and media sponsors.
Launched in 2012, GAgives has helped thousands of
nonprofits raise more than $41.5 million with the support of
more than 284,000 donors. GAgives provides nonprofits with
a simple platform to promote their causes and helps organizations meet campaign goals at the most important time of the
year for fundraising.
"It becomes almost competitive when you have so many
nonprofits trying to raise funds at the same time," Hudson says.
"But the way GAgives does it, it's more a movement than a competition. And one that encourages everyone to get involved. It's
really helped bring everyone together, rather than forcing us to
compete at that time of year."
In 2017, GAgives unified with the global GivingTuesday
movement. On the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, nonprofits,
small businesses, corporations, schools and faith-based organizations from all over the world celebrate a global day of giving.
All Georgia-registered 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible
to create a free, individualized webpage on the GAgives.org
platform.
"It's a day when nonprofits come top of mind, and it's a
really easy avenue for people to use to support the nonprofit
community," says Beth Freeman, membership and marketing
manager of Pebble Tossers. "For us, it has become crucial in our

COURTESY ELMCROFT SENIOR LIVING IN INDIANA

Navigating the COVID-19 crisis

Roswell-based Second Wind Dreams makes dreams come true for
senior citizens nationwide. This senior from Indianapolis wanted
to experience the high-flying adventure of skydiving.

budgeting process. We're able to reach out to some people who
may not have heard of us before but also provide an outlet for
people who may have donated in the past."
Second Wind Dreams, a Roswell-based nonprofit organization, helps senior citizens achieve lifelong goals, such as earning
a high school diploma, or have adventures they always have
wanted to experience (or to experience again), such as visiting a
train museum or getting a manicure. Julianne Horsford, public
relations and marketing specialist at Second Wind Dreams, says
GAgives was pivotal in achieving last year's fundraising goals.
"The type of exposure and the amount of money we raise
in a single day would not be possible without the GAgives [on]
GivingTuesday initiative," Horsford says. "The money we raised
last year was especially important because it went directly to
fund some of our elders' dreams. So many elders got to experience something they've always dreamed of doing because of the
support we got on GivingTuesday."
Since its launch in 2012, the amount raised on the dedicated day of giving has increased every year-from $782,000
in 2012 to more than $13.5 million last year. And while the
total number of donations has continued to rise, the Georgia
Center for Nonprofits aims to make sure that GAgives on
GivingTuesday is on the minds of everyday Georgians, not
just the philanthropic community.
"The total amount is going up, but individuals are giving
less," Raposo says. "We really need to bridge that gap and connect local Georgians to nonprofits in their communities. We
don't want to run the risk of folks taking for granted what's going
on around them. There's a lot of need. And it feels good for both
sides when folks are more engaged with their community."
Cameron Whitlock is a freelance writer and photographer
from Douglasville.
For more information about the Georgia Center for Nonprofits,
visit gcn.org.
www.georgiamagazine.org

http://www.GAgives.org http://www.gcn.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Georgia Magazine - November 2020

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