Greetings, Flathead Beacon readers! My inbox is flooded with emails from local nonprofit directors announcing the last call to donate during the 11th annual Great Fish Community Challenge, which includes 85 participants. If you’re feeling extra generous over the next 26 hours, the deadline to give is Sept. 12 at 5 p.m.
Since 2015, the annual month-long fundraising campaign has raised $35 million for 97 Flathead Valley nonprofit organizations while the Whitefish Community Foundation has awarded a percentage match on all the dollars raised by each nonprofit.
“’Give Where You Live’ is such a great slogan for the campaign because our local nonprofits make the Flathead Valley such a special place to live,” Whitefish Community Foundation Director Alan Davis said. “Whether it’s a group that directly benefits your life or helps a neighbor in need, we all have a responsibility to give back – either with time, money or both – to keep this small corner of northwest Montana authentic and beautiful.”
Last year, 4,029 donors participated in the challenge and gave more than $5 million to 80 organizations, which was a 28% increase over 2023 and included 1,500 first-time donors. Over $1.5 million was raised during the final week.
Six new organizations are participating in the Challenge this year, including the Alano Club of Kalispell, Columbia Falls Community Market, Discovery Developmental Center, Driving Hope, Flathead 4-H Foundation and West Shore Food Bank.
As of this afternoon, the total amount of dollars raised totaled $5.6 million with the Great Fish Match Fund totaling $696,446, according to the Challenge leaderboard. DREAM Adaptive Recreation (pictured above) ranks No. 1 with donations at $242,529 followed by the Nate Chute Foundation with $230,086. Totals do not include the Circle of Giving match, which was $1.1 million last year.
The amount of the percentage match and the final tally raised will be announced at the Great Fish Awards Ceremony on Oct. 21 at the Wachholz College Center in Kalispell. The matching grant is made possible by the Foundation’s Circle of Giving and other donors who gave directly to the Great Fish Match Fund during the Challenge.
I’m Maggie Dresser, here with the gift of the Daily Roundup.
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