Unity Foundation of La Porte County is supporting the first regional ‘Give Day’ called NWIgives on Wednesday, February 12.

Give Days are innovative on-line fundraising events that encourage people to donate as much money as possible in support of their favorite organizations or causes in just 24 hours. Unity will join nonprofit organizations across Lake, Porter and La Porte counties in the first-ever regional NWIgives day, organized and presented by Lake Area United Way and Legacy Foundation.

Beginning at midnight CST February 12 and continuing until 11:59 p.m. CST, people can go online to http://NWIgives.razoo.com to make tax-deductible donations to support the important work of Northwest Indiana charities. All online donations through NWIgives will go directly to support the mission of the participating organizations.

Unity Foundation has selected 10 local impact areas for NWIgives: animals, arts, basic needs, community development, education, environment, health, housing and homelessness, scholarships, and youth. Gifts to these funds will be used in 2014 to supplement Unity’s strategic grant programs, assuring donors their dollars will be used effectively.

In the areas of “basic needs,” Unity Foundation has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars through the years to support food and shelter. In 2013, 25% of Unity’s community grants went toward purchasing food for hungry children, families and individuals, and helping to provide emergency or permanent shelter.

Each year, Unity is pleased to award more than $900,000 in grants to a wide variety of local projects and organizations, including through the Community Grant fund. A group of dedicated individuals from throughout the county meets annually to evaluate and award dozens of grant requests. Funds raised through NWIgives will help to grow and support these beneficial efforts.

In addition, NWIgives corporate sponsors, including Centier Bank and NIPSCO, are underwriting prizes that will be awarded to some of the participating nonprofits based on donor activity.

“An online day of giving has proven to be a successful model for fundraising across the country and in parts of our region,” said Leigh Morris, interim president and chief executive officer of Legacy Foundation. “NWIgives aims to promote philanthropy in Northwest Indiana. By helping nonprofits raise funds, the daylong event helps them carry out their important work and supplements budgets already stretched to meet current demands. It also allows nonprofits to tell their stories and attract new donors.”

For more information about NWIgives, visit http://NWIgives.razoo.com.

Unity Foundation also will participate in a second on-line giving event, called Give Local America, on May 6th, 2014 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the first community foundation. More information on that event will be shared at a later date.