LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — NEPA Gives is the area's largest fundraiser. More than 250 nonprofits will benefit this year. It is an online extravaganza all about giving back to the community.
It actually started in June 2020, but it was already in the works before the pandemic.
"It ended up being the perfect timing actually because it was a time when nonprofits couldn't gather in person and do a lot of in-person fundraising, so the online giving platform was the perfect platform, so it has taken off, and we're now in year five," Brittany Pagnotti said.
The Scranton Area Community Foundation hosts NEPA Gives. Now, five years later, more than 250 nonprofits from northeastern Pennsylvania will benefit from it. All have their own story and reasons for needing donations.
"It's our livelihood. Patient and community engagement is an entity of the Wright Center, but it is a 501(c)(3), and the goal when it was established a few years ago was for it to be self-sustainable," said Kara Seitzinger from the Wright Center.
This means the more help and the more donations, the better. In 2023, the Wright Center helped nearly 8,000 people with basic needs like getting them to and from medical appointments, aiding with utility bills, and keeping them fed and clothed.
In Dunmore, the elementary center's PTA helps students with those basic needs, too.
"We want to bring support to students at school. We have a food pantry; we do field trips; we provide them with clothing when needed, in addition to all of the fun things like trunk or treat—all of the fun things the PTA generally does we love and we thrive on but we also go above and beyond to really support the kids of our community," Laura Mills said.
NEPA Gives is the area's largest fundraising campaign, and organizers say it's the best time to give to your favorite cause because business sponsors are matching your donations during this 24-hour period.
"Our community is fantastic. We ask for help and we get it, and we could not be more grateful for that," Mills added.
NEPA Gives ends at 7 p.m. Friday, and there's a block party from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Wyoming Avenue in Scranton to celebrate all of the money raised this year.
The fundraiser raised $1,231,590.
You can donate here.
For a list of nonprofits that will benefit this year, click here.