NH Business: Giving Tuesday provides a fundraising boost for NH nonprofits

Mike Cote, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·4 min read

Nov. 28—CATHOLIC CHARITIES New Hampshire hopes to raise $30,000 to deliver groceries to seniors.

Granite United Way seeks $10,000 so it can double the dollars, thanks to Eversource.

NH Audubon is asking nature lovers to support its 39 wildlife sanctuaries.

For the past decade, nonprofits have looked to Giving Tuesday to boost fundraising.

The movement has gone global since it was founded in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and its Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact in New York City.

The GivingTuesday organization (givingtuesday.org) promotes the event but leaves fundraising to local charities, which keep 100% of the money they raise on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving campaign.

For the past few years, Catholic Charities New Hampshire (cc-nh.org) has used the event to raise money for services that support the state's aging population.

This year, the nonprofit is targeting a program that provides monthly grocery deliveries to low-income seniors in Manchester and Nashua.

"These seniors live on fixed income. Their incomes really are not scaling in the way that inflation is," said Michael McDonough, executive director of marketing and communications.

With $30,000, Catholic Charities can provide monthly grocery delivery to 125 seniors for a year.

"It not only feeds them, it provides them some flexibility to better manage daily life, better manage their affordability when it comes to essential needs," McDonough said.

Catholic Charities is also promoting fundraising efforts for two organizations it acquired over the past couple of years, Liberty House, which provides transitional housing for homeless veterans, and New Generation, a program in Greenland that provides shelter and other services to pregnant women, single mothers and their children.

The nonprofit hopes to raise $5,000 to support Liberty House's food pantry and $15,000 for after-care services offered by New Generation to families placed in permanent housing.

Double the gift

Granite United Way (graniteuw.org) received a pledge from Eversource to match donations made on Giving Tuesday up to a total of $10,000.

The nonprofit, which began its annual fundraising campaign last summer, supports about 85% of New Hampshire, and Windsor County, Vermont. Giving Tuesday augments that annual drive, said Patrick Tufts, president and CEO.

"It's really important for fundraising for all the nonprofits in New Hampshire. It's just a good way to diversify the way we're able to raise funds," Tufts said.

This year, inflationary pressures are impacting both the programs Granite United Way supports and its donors.

"Rising prices in everything from food to rent to child care to utilities are putting a lot of pressure on people so we are seeing that in our campaign," Tufts said. "People who may have had the confidence and the extra dollars to support us in the past have to think about that a little bit this year, and we understand that."

While conditions are tough, Tuft remains optimistic.

"I'm always overwhelmed with the generosity of the people of New Hampshire. We are having a lot of campaigns that are outperforming our expectations," he said. "When people know that it's tough on their neighbors they tend to do everything they can to help out."

Giving Tuesday has become a strategic part of NH Audubon's fundraising, said Doug Bechtel, president.

Money for nature

NH Audubon (nhaudubon.org) is not affiliated with the National Audubon Society, he noted. The independent nonprofit relies on memberships and fundraising to support its education programs, lobbying efforts and costs associated with managing its 39 wildlife sanctuaries.

"Giving Tuesday is a wonderful program that has grown over the years and has actually provided sort of a growth trend in giving for New Hampshire Audubon," he said.

A major way NH Audubon connects people with nature is through its system of trails, such as those around its 49-acre sanctuary in Auburn around Lake Massabesic.

"It costs a lot of money to make sure our trails and our parking at our trailheads are in good shape," Bechtel said. "So that's another way of Giving Tuesday benefits how we interact with the public and how we provide a public benefit."

This story has been updated to reflect the correct location of New Generation.

Mike Cote is senior editor for news and business. Contact him at mcote@unionleader.com or (603) 206-7724.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not represent the views and opinions of the sponsor, its members and affiliates.