Opinion: Long Beach Gives shows us the power we all have in building up our community

Long Beach Gives hosted a 24-hour online giving day on September 24 to crowdfund for hundreds of nonprofits and organizations in Long Beach and surrounding areas.

As I made my own peer-to-peer fundraiser page for the Casa Youth Leadership Program on the Long Beach Gives website, I found myself browsing the hundreds of other nonprofit organizations fundraising at the same time.

Divided into 16 different categories, including homelessness, education, mental health, seniors, and the environment, the organizations participating in Long Beach Gives genuinely represent our community’s diverse interests and needs. Passionate community organizers, volunteers, and people ranging from young to old are coming together online to crowdfund for the causes they believe in.

According to its website, Long Beach Gives raised $822,000 for 93 organizations. This year, over 150 organizations are participating with a collective goal of raising $1 million, and they are already in a prime position to do so. As of September 19, early giving has already brought in over $330,000 for 140 nonprofits, almost exceeding last year’s goal and all before the actual donation drive day has even begun!

For teens eager to make a difference in their communities, Long Beach Gives offers that chance through peer to peer fundraising. After all, funding is ultimately the enabling factor for organizations to take action on a scale that builds communities.

Furthermore, this year presents a unique situation where hundreds of organizations need our help to stay operational, providing the same if not even greater levels of service to our areas during the coronavirus pandemic.

Whether your interest is in helping in food security, social services, mental health, or physical wellness, the donations collected on September 24 will support the most vulnerable of our neighbors in their greatest time of need. Let’s show ourselves and our friends how we can help define our community values through freely giving through Long Beach Gives.