2024 Give Where You Live, (Kearney Area Community Foundation, Courtesy)
KEARNEY — This is cause for celebration! As we close in on the time of year centered around helping others, now is a great time to celebrate 12 years of local giving!
This community-wide event will benefit 201 charitable organizations and causes in the Kearney area that improve the quality of life for Kearney area residents! Since its inception in 2013, Give Where You Live, led by the Kearney Area Community Foundation, has raised more than $11.5 million for local nonprofits.
Online early giving has begun for the Kearney Area Community Foundation’s (KACF) 12th annual giving day called “Give Where You Live” on December 5, 2024. This year, $135,000 in challenge match funds and prizes will be awarded to nonprofits participating in Give Where You Live.
What is It?
Give Where You Live is a one-day fundraising event on Dec. 5, 2024, that unites and encourages donors to support nonprofits and improve our quality of life. Give Where You Live is a community effort powered by the Kearney Area Community Foundation that encourages area nonprofits to build their capacity, find new donors, and identify new funding streams. KACF’s goal is to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in one day by encouraging local residents to support their favorite charities.
“Give Where You Live has been an incredible success since we launched it in 2013! Our Foundation’s mission to foster a spirit of charitable giving and respond to our community’s needs is stronger than ever,” said Judi Sickler, President/CEO of the Kearney Area Community Foundation. “We’re proud of how the annual 24-hour giving day campaign achieves this mission and continues to grow each year. It has truly transformed the way people give locally, and in a big way!”
Last year, the eleventh year for the 24-hour giving day, the community raised a record-breaking $1,936,848 on December 7, 2023, which included prizes, matching funds and other incentives.
Donations came in from a wide variety of donors who made more than 6,766 different gifts for 188 organizations/causes. “We’re truly amazed by the generosity of this community year after year,” said Sickler. “The support from last year’s Give Where You Live is still being talked about, and many nonprofits are counting on its success to sustain their vital services. We’re optimistic that this year’s campaign will be even bigger and better, reaching beyond $2 million would be incredible!”
“2024 is a great year to give back to the community and spread the message of ‘Peace, Love, Community’,” Laurel McKellips, Program Manager, added. “Peace, Love, Community” is the theme for this year’s community-wide campaign.
How It Works
On Dec. 5, communities in the Kearney area will come together online and off for 24 hours of generosity. Every donation made during Give Where You Live will help qualify the organization for prize money and awards, furthering the impact of the donor’s investment.
Today, donors can go to the website: https://www.givewhereyoulive.net and look at the list of local nonprofit organizations registered for the giving day. Donors can begin making online gifts today through midnight Dec. 5.
Donations, up to $20,000 per donor, qualify to receive funds from the Give Where You Live Challenge Match Pool. The Challenge Match Pool is $100,000 this year and is provided by Mike and Becky Evers, Cal and Jane Johnson, KAAPA Ethanol, Norris and Lori Marshall, Kent Richter and Heidi Narber-Richter, Bill and Julie Oldfather, Jim and Kelly Shada, Ken and Lynnda Shaffer, Cheryl Webber, Paul and Linda Younes, the Kearney Area Community Foundation and other generous sponsors.
The Challenge Match Pool is a proportional match. “For example, if the community raises $1,000,000 on that day and the Challenge Match Pool is $100,000, every dollar donated will be matched 10 percent”, said McKellips. “It is a great way to help donors’ gifts make a bigger impact for local charities.”
$135,000 will be Given Away to Nonprofits as Prizes and Incentives
This year $135,000 in match and prizes will be given to nonprofits participating in Give Where You Live! All donations given from November 7 to December 5 are eligible for prizes.
1. Disco Fever Prize: It may not be Saturday Night Fever, but that doesn’t mean we can’t catch Disco Fever! Donors who give between 8:00-10 p.m. during Give Where You Live will be entered into a random drawing to win $500 for the organization that received
their donation. NEW THIS YEAR!
PRIZES: Three – $500 prize
2. Do The Hustle Prize: It’s Hustle time! And like the fast-paced 70s dance, this is a fast-paced prize! We’re giving out three prizes during the 8 a.m. hour, drawn every 20 minutes! Donors who “hustle and give” between 8:00-9:00 AM during Give Where You Live will be entered into a random drawing to win $500 for the organization that received their donation.
New This Year!
PRIZES: Three – $500 prize
3. Far-Out Fundraising Frenzy Prize: This year’s theme is a great excuse for your organization to throw a party by hosting a Giving Destination! Organizations that host Giving Destinations this year are encouraged to have some “far-out” decorations, costumes and creativity! Organizations that host a Giving Destination and make a social media post showing their creativity will be entered to win a prize!
To enter and qualify, your organization must host a Giving Destination (registration required ahead of time-contact KACF for details) and post on social media showing your groovy event! Next, send a screenshot of your post to andi@kearneyfoundation.org by 7:30 p.m. on December 5 with the following in the subject line: “Far-Out Fundraising Frenzy”.
New This Year!
PRIZES: Two – $1,000 prize
4. Flower Power Hour Prize: We can’t have a theme about the 60s and 70s without mentioning Flower Power! Donors who give between 3-4 p.m. during Give Where You Live will be entered into a random drawing to win $750 for the organization that received their donation. AND, the first 25 donors that bring a gift by our office between 3:00-4:00 PM will receive a flower to take home!
New This Year!
PRIZES: Four – $750 prize
5. Groovin’ for Early Givin’ Prize: One of the great things about Give Where You Live is that you don’t have to wait until the first Thursday of December to start giving, as Early Giving starts November 7! Donors who donate between 12 a.m. on November 7 and 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 4 will be entered into a random drawing to win $500 for the organization that received their donation.
New This Year!
PRIZES: Four – $500 prize
6. It Only Takes a Spark Prize: Our hope is that the money raised through Give Where You Live will help local nonprofits foster harmony and spread kindness in our community.
So how will GWYL impact your organization? Post your organization’s goals on Facebook. Tell your followers how your organization will promote peace and share love and explain what you hope to accomplish because of Give Where You Live.
New This Year!
To enter and qualify, explain how you will spread peace and love by posting on Facebook between November 7 and December 5 using the hashtag #PeaceLoveCommunity. Post something new each week to be entered for the weekly drawing!
Next, send a screenshot of your posts each week to andi@kearneyfoundation.org with the following in the subject line: “Peace, Love, Community Post”.
PRIZES: Four – $500 prize (randomly drawn from qualifying organizations – one each week – drawn Nov. 14, Nov. 21, Nov. 27 (day early due to Thanksgiving) and Dec. 5).
7. Love Train Prize: We want everyone to “join in” on sharing the message of peace, love, community. If you spread the word, you can jump on the train of people doing great things in our community! We will post on the Kearney Area Community Facebook page at
8 a.m. on Dec. 5.
Anyone who publicly shares the post will be entered into a drawing to win a $800 prize to go to the Give Where You Live nonprofit of their choice.
We will draw a winner at 4 p.m.. The winner will be contacted through Facebook Messenger. The winner will need to let us know by 6:00 PM which nonprofit they’d like to receive the prize. So encourage your donors to share the post and to keep an eye on their messages after 4:00!
New This Year!
PRIZE: One – $800 prize
8. Shining Star Success Prize: Prizes for the nonprofits with the biggest percentage increase over last year (only nonprofits that participated last year in Give Where You Live are eligible.) Eligible nonprofits must raise more than the prize amount. For example, if you only raise $200 and have the biggest percentage increase, you are only eligible for the $200 prize.
PRIZES: 1st Place: $2000, 2nd Place: $1000, 3rd Place: $500, and 4th Place: $200
(In case of a tie, a winner will be randomly drawn.)
9. Solid Gold Ticket Prize: Donors will be chosen at random, each hour, from the donations made during Give Where You Live to have an additional $250 Solid Gold Ticket given to the organization that received their donation. Winners drawn from 1 a.m. – 8 a.m. will be posted on social media after the office opens at 8 a.m. CST.
Traditional Prize Prize
PRIZES: $250 hourly (24 prizes)
10. Time in a Bottle Prize: Although this theme is only focusing on a certain point in time, an endowment for your organization will last forever! Participating nonprofits that raise over $10,000 during Give Where You Live will be entered into a random drawing for one organization to be awarded an endowment fund at the Kearney Area Community Foundation. (If the winning organization already has an endowment at KACF, then the $10,000 prize will be added to their fund). Note: The winner doesn’t have to use the funds raised during GWYL for the endowment.
The Big One!
PRIZE: $10,000 KACF endowment fund
11. Top of the World Prize: This year we hope to accomplish something we’ve never done before and raise over $2 million during Give Where You Live! We will award a $1,000 prize to the donor’s organization whose gift puts us over the $2 million mark!
New This Year!
PRIZE: One – $1,000 prize
12. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing Prize: KACF manages over 260 funds, and their trust in us makes us feeling like dancing! To show our continued support of nonprofits “under our umbrella” they will be entered into a random drawing for a $500 prize. To be eligible for the drawing, the organization needs to have raised more than $1,000 and had more than 10 gifts during Give Where You Live.
PRIZES: Three – $500 prize
“There’s a lot of great things going on with Give Where You Live,” says Andi Hartman, Communications Coordinator. “Our website, givewhereyoulive.net, has information about the giving day, contests, challenges, prizes and more! We also have donation forms at our office if anyone wants to get one early. Give Where You Live is a great way for donors to help their favorite organizations, and to hopefully find new organizations to support!”
201 Local Organizations/Causes Participating This Year
(Highlighted ones are new in 2024 and organizations with an asterisk* have participated all 12 years):
Agency on Aging
ALS in the Heartland
American Automobile Experience*
American Red Cross Central and Western Nebraska
Amherst Volunteer Fire & Rescue
Arc of Buffalo County*
Archway
Axtell Public Library
Axtell Volunteer Fire & Rescue
Beau’s Brigade Foundation
Boy Scouts of America aka Overland Trails Council*
Brickwalk Project
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Buffalo County 4-H
Buffalo County Citizen Advocacy
Buffalo County Community Partners*
Buffalo County Historical Society/Trails & Rails Museum*
Buffalo Hills Elementary
Campus Lutheran
Central Community College Foundation-Kearney Center*
Central Elementary School
Central Nebraska Chess Club
Central Nebraska LOSS Team (Local Outreach to Suicide
Survivors)
Central Nebraska Quilts of Valor
Central Nebraska Reading Council
Chariots 4 Hope of Central NE
CHI Health Good Samaritan Foundation*
Child Evangelism Fellowship of Central Nebraska
Choice Family Health Care
Citizens Police Academy Alumni (CPAA)
Coats for Kids
Collage Center
Combat Warriors of Nebraska
Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska*
Community Pantry of Kearney
COMPASS*
Crane River Theater*
Crossroads Center Inc*
Dobytown Kiwanis Backpack Project
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Elm Creek School Foundation
Emerson Elementary
Faith Christian School Foundation*
Families CARE
Family Advocacy Network*
Family of Christ Community Suppers
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Forever Pink Foundation
Forward Kearney
Foster Care Closet of Nebraska
FreeThinking Ministries
Friends Program of Kearney*
Ft. Kearney Daughters of the American Revolution
FUMC/East Lawn Food Pantry*
G.W. Frank Museum
Gibbon 4th of July Celebration
Gibbon Ball Association
Gibbon Beautification Foundation
Gibbon Booster Club
Gibbon Educational Foundation
Gibbon Elementary Parent Organization
Gibbon Free Pantry
Gibbon Goodfellows
Gibbon Heritage Center Foundation
Gibbon Public Library Foundation
Gibbon Volunteer Fire Department
Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska
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Girls on the Run of Nebraska
Good Samaritan Society- Kearney
Goodfellows of Buffalo County*
Goodwill Industries of Greater Nebraska
Hanny Arram Center for Success\
Haven’s Chapel Ball Association
HelpCare Clinic
Hollyjean’s Hope Cat Spaying*
Holy Cross Campus Ministry
Hot Meals USA
Impact Art
Junior Achievement District of Kearney
Kearney American Legion Post #52
Kearney Area Animal Shelter*
Kearney Area Arts Council
Kearney Area Barbershop Chorus
Kearney Area Children’s Museum*
Kearney Area Habitat for Humanity*
Kearney Area Storytelling Festival
Kearney Bearcat Booster Club
Kearney Catholic High School Foundation*
Kearney Community Learning Center
Kearney Community Sustainable Housing
Kearney Community Theatre*
Kearney Competitive Girls Softball Association
Kearney Concert Association*
Kearney Cosmos Club
Kearney Creates
Kearney Cultural Partners
Kearney Dawn Rotary – Dictionary Project*
Kearney Elks Lodge #984
Kearney Family YMCA*
Kearney High Career Education
Kearney High Theatre Boosters
Kearney Housing Development Corporation
Kearney Jubilee Center*
Kearney Lions Club
Kearney Literacy Council
Kearney Little League
Kearney Noon Rotary – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Kearney Optimist Club
Kearney Pickleball Club
Kearney Public Library Foundation*
Kearney Public Schools – Dual Credit Scholarship
Kearney Public Schools – TeamMates Mentoring Program*
Kearney Public Schools Foundation
Kearney Rail Viewing Platform
Kearney Regional Medical Center Foundation
Kearney Rescue Cats
Kearney Special Olympics
Kearney Symphony Orchestra
Kearney Teen Reach Adventure Camp
Kearney Tennis Association*
Kearney Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program*
Kearney Volunteer Fire Department
Kearney Whitewater*
Kearney Woman’s Club
Kearney/Buffalo County CASA*
KHS Band
KHS Post Prom 2025
Kids & Dreams Foundation
Leadership Kearney
Loper Athletic Club
Loper Wrestling Legacy Fund*
LoperCats
LyonHeart Equine Assisted Learning Nonprofit
Make-A-Wish Nebraska*
McKenna’s Rae of Hope
Meals on Wheels – Kearney Area
Merryman Performing Arts Center*
Mosaic in Axtell
Mother Hull Home
Mount Carmel Home
Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA)*
Nebraska AIDS Project*
Nebraska Children’s Home Society*
Nebraska Firefighters Museum & Education Center*
Nebraska Shrine Bowl
Nebraska Veterans First
Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion
Northeast Elementary PTO
One Lost Sheep
Peterson Senior Activity Center
Platte River Children’s Chorale
Platte River Singers
Pleasanton Community Fund*
Pleasanton Lions Club
Pleasanton Public Schools
Pleasanton Volunteer Fire Department
Prairie Art Brothers
Pumpkin Patch Daycare
R.A.F.T. – Residential Assistance to Families in Transition*
Ravenna Community Foundation*
Ravenna Public Library
Ravenna Senior Center
Rooted
Rowe Sanctuary
Royal Family Kids*
Royal Neighbors – Kearney Chapter
S.A.F.E. Center*
Salvation Army*
Shelton Area Goodfellows
Shelton Area Lions Club*
Shelton Building for Tomorrow
Shelton Bulldog Walking Club
Shelton Cemetery Beautification Fund*
Shelton Community Pool Project
Shelton Elementary PTO
Shelton FFA Boosters
Shelton Fireworks Fund*
Shelton Historical Society*
Shelton Public Library Friends
Shelton Public Schools Foundation
Shelton SHELL Cancer Fund*
Shelton TeamMates Mentoring Program
Shelton UMC Food Pantry
Shelton Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Shelton Youth Sports Club
SHIELD616
Silver Threads QOV
St. Teresa of Calcutta Newman Center
Tasha Keiter Memorial Youth Golf Fund/PGA Reach
Todd Becker Foundation*
Tri-City BMX
Tri-City Youth Ice Hockey Association
Two Rivers Public Health Department
United Campus Ministry at UNK
United Way of the Kearney Area*
UNK Tennis Program
VFW Auxiliary #759
VFW Post #759
Windmill State Recreation Area Disc Golf Course
Windy Hills PTO
World Theatre*
Yanney Heritage Park Foundation*
Zion Lutheran School
Nonprofit organizations were able to register to participate after pledging that at least 80% of funds raised will stay in the Kearney area. Registration is now closed. There is no cost to donors or organizations to participate in the 24-hour community-wide Give Where You Live giving day; however, there is a low processing fee of 3% (one of the lowest in the nation).
NOTE: The Kearney Area Community Foundation makes nothing off of the event, in fact it costs them thousands of dollars in platform fees, prizes and advertising to put on the event. This is our gift to the community.
Sponsors for the Give Where You Live giving day (as of 11/11/2024) –
2024 PLATINUM LEVEL
Mike and Becky Evers
Cal and Jane Johnson
KAPPA Ethanol
Norris and Lori Marshall
Kent Richter and Heidi Narber-Richter
Bill and Julie Oldfather
Jim and Kelly Shada
Ken and Lynnda Shaffer
Cheryl Webber
Paul and Linda Younes
2024 GOLD LEVEL
Anonymous
Dick Beechner
Drew and Brittany Blessing
Dy-Na Tool & Mold
Jordan Cochran DDS, PC
Al and Lee Ann Lux
Dirk and Angie Nickel
Dave and Roxanne Oldfather
Parker Hannifin
Pinnacle Bank
Rick and Karen Rhoads
Ron and Mary Scott
Tye & Rowling, P.C., LLO
Wilkins Architecture Design Planning LLC
2024 SILVER LEVEL
Advanced Dentistry of Kearney
American Foods Group LLC / Gibbon Packing LLC
Anonymous
Jeremy and Angela Armagost
Dan and Beth Bahensky
George and Roxanne Bascom
BD Construction
Susan Bigg
Bow & Arrow Boutique
Kay Bowman
Bruce Furniture
Mark and Kim Bush
Central Valley Irrigation
Dave and Angie Chally
Rob and Vicki Clevenger
Culligan of Kearney
Cindy Dodson
Exchange Bank
Jim and Marsha Fairbanks
Farm Bureau Insurance – Rich and Jayne Peters
First Interstate Bank
First National Bank of Omaha
Jerald and Janet Fox
Jerry and Joyce Gloystein
Headwaters Corporation
Heartland Bank
Mike and Jody Heeney
Lance and Chris Hehner
John and Melissa Hoggatt
Doug Holmes
Richard and Kathie Hranac
Integrity Dental Arts-Terry and Judi Sickler
Intellicom
Colleen Jacobson
Roger and Susan Jasnoch
Audrey Kauders
Kearney Regional Medical Center
Brad Kernick
Dave and Cathie Kingsley
Klute Investment Services
Ron Larsen
Jim and Marge Lauer
Dan and Carol Lindstrom
Longo Family Orthodontics
Miles and Brenda Marshall
Chick and Judy Messbarger
Midwest Connect
NebraskaLand Bank
Bill Neuheisel
Jason and Mindy Oman
Luzy Powell
Keith and Jan Rodehorst
Chuck and Vickie Schaepler
Darrell and Jane Teply
Todd and Lois Thalken
Tye Family Foundation
Valley Pharmacy, Inc.
Visit Kearney
David and Julie Weir
David Wiebe
