Alamo Colleges Foundation seeking funds for scholarships during the Big Give.
By V.L. Roberson and Karenna Reyna
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
It is happening online, for 24 consecutive hours and it is all about giving to those who give to you.
It’s the Big Give S.A. Tuesday, part of a national day of giving called Give Local America.
Communities across the country will come together to show support for the charity of their choice.
Midnight today to midnight Tuesday, the Alamo Colleges Foundation and 881 other local nonprofit organizations will be eligible for donations, matching funds and prize incentives.
Each Year Alamo Colleges students help this community by building homes, cleaning up graffiti, planting gardens, and much more, explained Deborah Martin, director of major gifts for Alamo Colleges Foundation.
“Alamo Colleges students help the community and invite the community to help our students,” she said.
May 5 is the community’s chance to help these and future students by going to the website and choosing Alamo Colleges Foundation to donate at http://thebiggivesa.org/#npo/alamo-colleges-foundation.
“We have a goal of $5,000. That’s 10 scholarships,” Martin said. “Last year was our first year. We raised enough for one scholarship, $545. This year we’ve been a lot more active.”
The foundation awards a scholarship to every Alamo Colleges student who applies and is eligible, according to the foundation’s website, at alamo.edu/foundation/.
“For the academic year 2013-14, the Foundation awarded 1,500 scholarships totaling $ 1,5 million,” Martin said.
The Alamo Colleges Foundation is a tax-exempt nonprofit that serves as the fundraising arm for the Alamo Colleges, she explained.
The big give S.A. website list a calendar of events coinciding with the online giving challenge.
“On May 5, volunteers will be our ambassadors in the community walking around talking to potential givers,” Martin said.
Volunteers can serve with the San Antonio Food Bank at their “Big Serve” while also supporting The Big Give S.A. and see firsthand what kind of service they do for the community.
The purpose of this community-wide giving challenge is to increase public awareness of the impact local nonprofits organizations make in addressing our community’s social challenges, by bringing non-profits and donors together and expanding the idea of online giving, according to the website.
Last year a goal of $1 million was set, and over $2 million was raised in San Antonio’s first online giving challenge.
Each registered nonprofit organization will be eligible to receive matching funds and prize incentives for donations given Tuesday.
This means that people’s gifts have the capacity to leverage additional funding. A minimum donation is $10, according to the website http://thebiggive.org.
Students are encouraged to share photos of themselves volunteering on social media, Martin said.
Follow @AlamoCollegesFdn on Twitter and Instagram # studentsgiveback, #BGSA2015, #strongertogether and #scholarships.
She asks people to like Alamo Colleges Foundation on Facebook.
“Students interested in volunteering should see the office of student life on their respective college campuses,” Martin said.
For volunteering on this campus, contact Mary-Elise Ferrer, director of civic engagement, at 210-486-0157.
To contact Martin, call 210-485-0048.
For more information about the Big Give, go to http://thebiggive.org or call 210-229-0333.
