Foundation for Community Care finds ways to keep going despite pandemic

The Foundation for Community Care planned to raise more money than ever for a wide variety of worthy community causes in 2020. Those events all faced a new paradigm, however, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Suddenly, practically overnight, large gatherings were out, and small groups were in, and social distance, masks, and contactless experiences were the watch words.

Nonprofits had typically relied on party-style events for fundraisers, but now they needed a completely new model. Foundation for Community Care was up to the task, but it was not easy.

Among the fundraising events reworked for 2020 was LIght the Night, which highlights cancer survivors. But individuals with compromised immune systems can’t be expected to gather during a global pandemic, no matter how worthy the cause.

With the event being in September, that gave Boyer a precious commodity. Time to rethink the whole event.

“We had to figure out a way to make the event make sense for the people it was meant for and still have the impact and raise money so we could keep the cancer center going for the people who need it,” Boyer said.

Among the first steps was to simply downsize the event. That, of course, presented its own challenge. Fewer people could mean less money, while the fundraising need would remain largely the same.

“Light the Night is an event where we like to give light to the people who have survived cancer, and those who have fought so hard for their lives,” Boyer said. “So instead of just lighting the night at the event space, we decided to sell some small lanterns people could take home to light their own yards.”

People could also buy lanterns to light at the Foundation itself, and those were displayed outside the Foundation for Community Care offices. That way, people could drive by to look without leaving the car — a contactless event experience.

Others, meanwhile, who were OK with getting out and doing a little socializing could just wear a mask and maintain social distance at a much smaller gathering.

“We also had Reynolds do a luncheon for us, and they donated the proceeds from that to the Foundation for the Cancer Center, and IGA did a fundraiser that evening and sold some ice cream bars for us,” Boyer recalled. “Everyone pitched in and all those little things added up to a big thing.”

Boyer applied the same sort of thinking to other fundraisers the Foundation does during 2020, like the Wine and Food festival, which helps raise money for the more than $300,000 community health grants it awards each year.

People could participate in a contactless wine pull, order takeout from a variety of area restaurants, and participate in a virtual art auction during an entire week devoted to the popular event.

The art auction alone raised a little more than $6,000 for that mission, and the wine bottles were nearly a sold-out show, Boyer said.

“The Wine & Food Festival is a wonderful event for the community and Foundation for Community Care. More than anything it is a way to get people together and spread the mission of our organization,” Boyer said. “In light of our current situation, I count this year’s events as a huge success, only thanks to our artists, our restaurants, sponsors, donors, and unwavering supporters who stick with us through thick and thin. None of what the Foundation does happens without this community!”

Source: SydneyHerald By Renée Jean rjean@willistonherald.com

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