#GivingTuesdayNOW
WHAT IS #GivingTuesdayNOW
#GivingTuesdayNOW is a global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020 as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. #GivngTuesdayNOW is a way the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne is connecting nonprofits in Allen County with generous members of the community who want to help.
At a time when we are all experiencing loss and uncertainty, generosity is what brings people of all races, faiths, and economic backgrounds together throughout our community. Generosity gives everyone power to make a positive change in the lives of others and is a fundamental value anyone can act on.
Heart of the City Mission Foundation has been selected along with 116 other local organizations to participate in this 12-hour day of giving. The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne will be matching donations through the day to help each organization reach their goal. Please help Heart of the City Mission Foundation reach our goal of $20,000 by donating on May 5 during this special one-day campaign.
WHY HOTC
Heart of the City Mission Foundation (HOTC) programs serve the inner city families in the heart of Fort Wayne, Indiana with a focus on supporting financially disadvantaged children and youth in the heart of our city. The 50+ volunteers at HOTC meet this mission by collecting and distributing food items through our Food Rescue program, stocking a food bank, tutoring elementary students, maintaining a fully functional Earn-a-Bike exchange, repair and workshop, offering access to free laundry facilities, and providing family counseling.
Distressed neighborhoods are among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic— where people are more likely to get sick in the first place, have less access to doctors or health care, have inferior health insurance, and work in service-sector jobs.
Much of our program support is funded by an annual fundraiser held each spring. Our event for April 22, 2020 was cancelled in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which normally raises over $50,000. While we have no full time staff, the costs for some limited contractor help with the Food Rescue program, the laundry room, and general operational expenses continue.
In 2018-19, HOTC was designated by what now is 16 local restaurants as a distributor for unsold food products in order to nourish people and foster nutrition.
- 100% of the families we serve are living at or below the USDA poverty guidelines.
- 70% of the individuals benefitting from the Food Rescue Program are 18 years or younger.
In the last two months, our Food Rescue program has become much more limited, but much more labor-intensive and expensive due in part to the following:
- Restaurant partner donations are currently nonexistent.
- Sanitizing expense and personal protective equipment requirements for volunteers and recipients.
- Social distancing requirements for every single step of food distribution, which drives up the overall time and expenses.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT DONATING
- #GivingTuesdayNOW will ONLY take place on Tuesday, May 5, 2020.
- The giving period is from 7 AM – 7 PM on May 5, 2020.
- Donations will be collected through the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne’s websiteonly - cfgfw.org/donate - during this time for #GivingTuesdayNOW.
Please consider covering the credit card fee for your donation(s) so that we receive 100% of your donation.
Thank you to the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne for allowing Heart of the City Mission Foundation to be a part of this event. Together, we are making a difference one life at a time!
The ultimate goal of Heart of the City Mission Foundation is to break the cycle of generational poverty. It is important to note that, while the main focus of the programs is on children and youth, approximately 25% of our efforts also directly help low-income adults of all ages and no-resource adults who are usually homeless. These individuals often represent second and third generation poverty households and are raising the young people in those households to see themselves with a worldview colored by generational poverty.
FAQ:
Does my donation go to Heart of the City Mission Foundation or to the Community Foundation?
You will be donating through the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne website, but all of your donation will go directly to the Heart of the City Mission Foundation if you donate to our campaign. Please consider covering credit card processing fees when you make your gift online.
Can I donate before or after May 5, 2020?
In order to count towards our $20,000 campaign, you must make your gift on May 5, 2020 between 7am-7pm only.
I only have a small amount to give. Will my modest donation help?
Absolutely! #GivingTuesdayNOW will be most successful and exciting when everyone feels they can be a part of something bigger. No gift is too small. If, during this shelter in place time, you've saved on gas, eating out, spring break trips, nails, hair, spa days and coffees, think about sending some of that to the Heart of the City Mission Foundation.