The sixth annual Give Great Falls begins this week, with the goal of encouraging philanthropic giving and community engagement.
The Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce partnered with United Way of Cascade County and the Great Falls Area Community Foundation to sponsor the community events.
The event features 53 non-profit organizations, with cash prizes given throughout the week to the organization with the highest number of donors on certain days.
Additionally, businesses are having events all week where a certain percentage of their earnings will go to Give Great Falls, including restaurants such as Tracy’s and MacKenzie River Pizza, as well as businesses such as Point S Tire donating $5 of every oil change this week.
- Tourist injured by bison in Yellowstone park
- Phillips County shooting suspect dead
- 5 dead in 4 crashes across Montana
- Obituary: Alicia Ann Grimshaw Miller
The money raised from the community events goes towards the Nonprofit Alliance, a committee within the Great Falls Chamber.
Here is a full list of Community Events for Give Great Falls:
Monday, April 29th
- Mighty Mo Brew Pub - Raise a Pint Night: $1 per pint donated, 5pm-8pm
- Fuddruckers - 20% of food sales donated, 5pm-9pm (must mention Give Great Falls)
- Double Barrel Coffee House Cafe - 10% of proceeds 3pm-7:30pm
Point S Tire (Fox’s or Jerry Noble) - $5 of every oil change will be donated
Tuesday, April 30th
- MacKenzie River Pizza - 20% of food sales donated 11am-9pm (must mention Give Great Falls)
- Double Barrel Coffee House Cafe - 10% of proceeds 3pm-7:30pm
Point S Tire (Fox’s or Jerry Noble) - $5 of every oil change will be donated
Wednesday, May 1st
- Tracy’s Restaurant - 10% of all sales donated
- Street Burgers - 10% of all sales donated
- Double Barrel Coffee House Cafe - 10% of proceeds 3pm-7:30pm
Point S Tire (Fox’s or Jerry Noble) - $5 of every oil change will be donated
Thursday, May 2nd
- Chamber Business After Hours: Nonprofit Showcase - Newberry 4pm-6pm
- Street Burgers - 10% of all sales donated
- Double Barrel Coffee House Cafe - 10% of proceeds 3pm-7:30pm
Point S Tire (Fox’s or Jerry Noble) - $5 of every oil change will be donated
Friday, May 3rd
- Fire Pizza - Purchase a $25 gift card or more, Fire Pizza will donate $25 back
- Double Barrel Coffee House Cafe - 10% of proceeds 3pm-7:30pm
- Point S Tire (Fox’s or Jerry Noble) - $5 of every oil change will be donated
Sarah Cawley, Chair of the Great Falls Area Community Foundation, explains that the alliance “does a lot of work with nonprofit leadership, mainly on staff in education, and making sure that everybody's mission is elevated to the same level. A lot of the work that they do is bringing in speakers to teach about social media best practices or HR best practices." Last year, $73,000 was raised for Give Great Falls.
Kim Skornogoski, Marketing Director for United Way of Cascade County reflects, “Over the five years, more than $250,000 has been raised here in Great Falls, and every year it grows and grows. So we're really fortunate to have this in our community and hope to keep growing and growing."
The business development director at the Great Falls Chamber of Commerce Katherine Archibald explains, “We here at the Chamber want to support these businesses. We want to support our nonprofits in any way that we can help them to be successful in their missions, in their mandate. So Give Great Falls is one way that we have started to do that."
On Thursday, May 2nd, from 4pm-6pm the Chamber of Commerce will host a Nonprofit Showcase, where the participating local nonprofits set up booths and visitors can speak with and learn about the different organizations within the community. The event will be held at the Newberry, located at 420 Central Avenue.
On the Nonprofit Showcase, Archibald says, “It's trade show style, and you can walk around and learn about their missions and mandates ways that you can help out and understand if they need a board member or if they need some sweat equity and volunteers."
For more information on Give Great Falls or how to donate, click here.
