You’ve seen the billboards, yard signs and social media posts. You’ve received the letters and postcards. It’s time for one of Adams County’s greatest annual events and we need your help. Now in its 14th year, the Adams County Community Foundation Giving Spree has been Adams County’s day of giving: the day when everyone in the community comes together to learn about local nonprofits and give them a financial boost.

The Giving Spree works because of donors like you who give now, give big, and give from the heart.

For the past few years, Adams County’s Giving Spree has earned the distinction of being one of the largest per capita giving day in the country. Last year, Adams Countians gave more than $3.2 million to support local nonprofits. This year we’re focused on matching that number by inspiring more donors to participate.

We’re keeping the special Giving Spree features donors appreciate: the giving options to “drop it off, mail it in, or give online.” Plus, all month we’ve been hosting live Nonprofit Information Sessions for Donors through the Adams County Library System, giving donors the opportunity to meet with the nonprofits they love best and discover some new favorites.  (You can view the recorded livestream of these sessions here) These sessions and our November 7 drop-off locations have spread across the county to Biglerville, East Berlin, Gettysburg, Littlestown and New Oxford.

We make it easy for you to give to multiple nonprofits with one gift by check, credit card, or securities. If you choose to give with a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA, please be sure your IRA administrator knows the gift is made to the Adams County Community Foundation and allow time for your gift to arrive.

Past donors received their Giving Spree Donation Form in the mail, but anyone can download the Donor Guide and Donation Form from ACCFGivingSpree.org now, through participating nonprofits.

Donors decide how each gift they make is used by the nonprofits they support with a checkbox on the Donation Form. A “today” gift goes directly to the nonprofit for its immediate use. A “forever” gift is added to your favorite nonprofits’ endowment, to provide an annual grant to the nonprofit for years and decades to come. This year we’re offering an additional $20,000 in endowment prizes to the nonprofits that see the biggest percentage increases in their forever gifts through this year’s Giving Spree.

Nonprofits pay nothing to participate, and we increase donor gifts by providing an incentive to nonprofits with $100,000 in incentive matches and prizes based on donor gifts. Visit www.ACCFGivingSpree. org and download our Donor Guide to see if your favorite nonprofits are participating or learn more about the nonprofits who are.

And finally, we need you to participate. Consider a gift to #3, The Fund for Adams County, our community’s charitable endowment and #115, the Incentive Match for Giving Spree nonprofits. Both support our participating nonprofits in a big way.

Either way, we need you to give now, give big, and give from the heart!

Ralph Serpe is president & CEO of the Adams County Community Foundation, the producers of the Adams County Community Foundation Giving Spree. He can be reached at rserpe@adamscountycf.org or 717-337-0060.