Give DeKalb County 24-hour fundraiser kicks off Thursday

SYCAMORE - At 12:01 a.m. Thursday, DeKalb County’s 24-hour day of giving will kick off, with a chance for those looking to fund some local resources to donate to 140 participating nonprofits.

In its ninth year, the annual Give DeKalb County fundraiser hosted by the DeKalb County Community Foundation encourages a day of giving in support of organizations that funnel resources directly back into the community. Give DeKalb County is coordinated by the DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership, a program of the community foundation. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $5.3 million for area nonprofits.

In keeping with pandemic-era Give DeKalb County days, this year’s 24-hour fundraiser won’t be in person, although several options remain for giving: Donors can give online from 12:01 a.m. to midnight Thursday, or mail in a donation.

“Give DeKalb County is a great way to support your favorite nonprofit organizations in DeKalb County,” said Ben Bingle, grants and director of the DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership with the community foundation. “This year we have 140 different participating nonprofit organizations.”

Over the years, the fundraiser has brought out many regulars who help fund nonprofit, including those that the foundation has fondly deemed “night owl donors” who stay up late to be among the first, or last, to give to their favorite nonprofit.

Among them is Rachel Xidis, who said she’s made it a habit to donate at the start or end of the 24-hour event.

“I usually stay up late and make my first donations shortly after the online Give DeKalb County donations open,” Xidis said. “For a number of years, I was a peer-to-peer fundraiser and felt that making my own donations early would help get the ball rolling and inspire others to follow.”

Xidis said she likes to support the Ellwood house Association, DeKalb Education Foundation and the DeKalb County 4-H Foundation.

“Give DeKalb County is a great opportunity for me to give back to the community that has supported me throughout my life,” Xidis said. “It is a chance to support local organizations that provide important services, make a difference, educate and inspire.”

Brian Oster said he also likes to be among the first to donate when the clock hits 12:01 a.m. Thursday, calling the experience contagious.

“I will be online right after midnight placing our donations, to be a catalyst for my colleagues and fellow parents, to encourage those in the nonprofit industry as they wake up and check the donation board,” he said.

Giving back is something Oster said he’s done since high school. He said it’s something he incorporates others into, including his teenaged children and team at his advertising and marketing agency, OC Creative. Everyone works together to help decide which organizations to support.

“In hindsight, I’ve learned I do this because I believe this world isn’t about me,” Oster said. “This is an opportunity to show others they can have an impact in their community.”

How to give

• Online: Visit GiveDeKalbCounty.org between 12:01 a.m. and midnight Thursday. On the website, donors can select how much they’d like to give, and what organization they want the funds to go to. Donors can choose however many nonprofits they’d like to support, and see a full list of participation 140 nonprofits online.
• Mail in: To donate to your nonprofit of choice via mail, donors will need to download, print and fill out a form available at givedekalbcounty.org. Mail the filled out form and check with chosen nonprofit to the DeKalb County Communication Foundation, 475 DeKalb Avenue, Sycamore, IL 60178. Mail-in donations must be postmarked by May 5.

Bonus Pool: The Bonus Pool is a pot of money meant to boost donations made during the fundraiser. Each nonprofit is awarded a cut of the bonus pool relative to how much money they’ve raised throughout the fundraiser. No single organization may receive more than 7% of the Bonus Pool.

As of Tuesday afternoon, according to social media post from Give DeKalb County, the Bonus Pool sits at $150,000.

“I would like to thank the community partners who have donated to the Bonus Pool so far,” Bingle said. “This is a fantastic way to boost every dollar given, and making even greater impact on the organizations that serve our local communities.”