For the last seven years, a 24-hour giving extravaganza has been occurring at the beginning of June. NEPA Gives to date has raised over $5.6 million. 

For those readers who may not be native to this region, NEPA is a colloquial term for northeastern Pennsylvania, and this regional giving day is a multi-county, regional fundraising effort headed up by community foundations across 13 counties. The Scranton Area Community Foundation, the largest of the community foundations in the region, helps to lead the effort, with the Wayne County Community Foundation as a partner in this effort since 2020. 

Giving days have become a popular way to bring positive attention to the nonprofit sector and show them some love. The day is filled with the celebration of giving from individuals, the business community, and private and community foundations. It has a hint of competitiveness among the nonprofits as they try to win different prizes and bonus money throughout the day. 

As donors, it’s a great day to maximize your giving by donating what you can online between Thursday, June 4 at 7 p.m. and Friday, June 5 at 7 p.m. by visiting www.nepagives.org. 

Your gift to your favorite causes and nonprofits might end up unlocking a cash prize for them to use and help them meet their mission. 

What’s particularly inspiring about NEPA Gives is to see donations come in. They range from $10 to multiple thousands, from people and businesses who really get in the spirit and want to make a difference in their community. Positive peer pressure—it really does the trick.

What I also enjoy each year is deepening the working relationships between the community foundations that all collaborate to put on this 24-hour giving day—we meet regularly, and with those meetings, closer working relationships, continued partnerships and a deeper sense of trust are among us. 

So, will you join in the fun on June 4 and 5 this year? Will you get in the giving spirit and give at least $10 to a nonprofit of your choosing on nepagives.org? If you’re not able to give this year, that’s OK—will you commit to telling a friend, colleague or family member about NEPA Gives this year? That positive peer pressure has great value.

For more information about the Wayne County Community Foundation, visit waynefoundation.org.

Ryanne Jennings is the president/CEO of the Wayne County Community Foundation.