It is written, “Do not despise small beginnings.”

As the Prince William County Community Foundation prepared for another year of their annual PWC Gives! fundraiser, all signs pointed to a potential downshift in giving to aid nonprofits. Whether it was the rising inflation costs, or a myriad of other factors, the amount of participants in comparison to last year was lower than the previous year. However, the end result was a significant increase in giving, as they were able to exceed expectations, with more than an estimated $82,000 in donations given to ensure that these organizations could continue the good work within the county. PWCCF President Dr. Vanessa Gattis spoke on what attributed to these results.

“I would say that one of the reasons we had so much participation was due to the competition,” said Gattis, referring to the willingness of each nonprofit to raise the most money. “They all wanted to be in first place, and it shows that people see the work that is being done here, and they opened up their purses and engaged. I am so thankful for our community recognizing what these nonprofits are doing.”

What was the feedback like in setting up this year’s fundraiser? “In the beginning, with only 14 organizations signing up, when we expected at minimum 50 to sign up, we didn’t allow that to discourage us, because we were determined to help them raise the money,” she said. “Even with the marketing we put into the area, our focus was to make sure we met our goals. I have to credit my Director of Development Erick Flowers, he constantly sent emails and messages to the nonprofits to get them geared up and motivated. A lot of the feedback was that they were grateful for the training and communication.”

She also credits the work of the sponsors. “With all of the sponsors we had, we were able to give away big prizes to the nonprofits. We gave a $1500 prize to the organization who raised the most money, and it was the National Coalition of Black Women 100, Prince William Chapter. We were able to give every organization $250 dollars. Being able to reward nonprofits with that was great, and they worked very hard to raise the money, and we wanted to recognize that.”

Gong forward, Gattis says that their goal is to increase participation in the fundraiser. “This was our second year doing this, but we more than doubled what we did last year by a 250% increase. When you pay a small fee to get into something like this. For instance, one organization paid #375 to participate but raised over $15000. The return they’ll receive is worth the investment in PWC Gives!”

“We’re trying to come up with some innovative ideas to fray some of the costs as well to make entry easier.”

The success of PWC Gives! is yet another feather in the cap of an organization that has received several accolades throughout 2022, and Dr. Gattis credits everyone who has helped PWCCF accomplish its goals. “We wouldn’t be able to accomplish if it wasn’t for our volunteers who keep us going. I’m thankful to our sponsors and organizations that have given us grants to continue what we’re doing. I’m really blessed to be a part of this organization, and it’s true that the Lord has opened the windows of Heaven, and I want to continue giving back to the community. When you get people coming together to improve the life of our residents, it makes things all the better.”

“I also want to thank those who gave. Whether it was $1 or $100, thank you all for helping us to make a difference.”

On Saturday, October 6, the PWCCF will be hosting their Health Expo.