05/22/2026
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๐ก๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ $1๏ธโฃ9๏ธโฃ1๏ธโฃ,0๏ธโฃ0๏ธโฃ0๏ธโฃ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ป๐ผ๐ป-๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ก๐ผ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐ธ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ด ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ
NORFOLK โ The Philanthropy Council of Northeast Nebraska is proud to announce that the community of Norfolk and beyond brought in 1,143 donations to raise $190,922 for 28 different non-profit organizations during this yearโs Norfolk Area Big Give.
โThe Norfolk Area Big Give is one of my favorite times of the year,โ said Big Give committee chair Libby McKay. โOver the years, our goals have evolved to focus even more on celebrating and supporting the collective impact of all nonprofits in the Norfolk area. By expanding the giving period, weโve created more opportunities for organizations to share their missions and for the community to engage in a meaningful way. I feel that it is invigorating to see how the community comes out to support its nonprofits, itโs one of the best examples of how every donation, no matter the size, can truly make an impact.โ
The biggest difference between this yearโs event and previous iterations was a community kickoff event that was held Thursday, May 14, at The Cove in Midtown Event Center, where more than 200 community members gathered for free food, live music, fellowship, and to meet the participating non-profits.
Community members attending the kickoff got to meet animals served by the local shelter, learn about capital projects that benefit local schools, help support local arts, and learn about various events to be held throughout the Norfolk Area Big Give.
โIt was exciting to have a public kickoff event to build up the community aspect of the Norfolk Area Big Give,โ Philanthropy Council co-chair Nick Benes said. โOver the last several years, we have focused on building a community of non-profits rather than a competition among our members. It was truly another opportunity to showcase the outstanding service that our non-profits provide in Norfolk and beyond.โ
In recent years, the Norfolk Area Big Give has taken on different timing and formats. This year was the third straight in which the Big Give stretched for nearly a week, from Thursday, May 14, through Tuesday, May 19, allowing even more time for nonprofits and donors to connect and make an impact. The decision to extend the event was driven by feedback from both nonprofits and community members, allowing for greater participation, enhanced collaboration, and more time to promote fundraising efforts.
In just the past three years, more than $672,000 has been raised through the Big Give. Last year, the Norfolk Area Big Give brought in 1,593 donations to raise $233,571 dollars for 27 different charities in the area. In 2024, Norfolk-area nonprofits collectively raised $250,614.20, with 21 of the 30 participants raising at least $1,000.
Philanthropy Council co-chair Brittany Melby-Heimes expressed excitement about the momentum created from this yearโs event. โWe are beyond excited for the future of the Norfolk Area Big Give because weโve seen how nonprofits have come together to support one another. We are all committed to helping each other reach our goals. Norfolk is such a philanthropic and generous community, and we canโt wait to see everyone come together again this year to spread kindness and generosity.โ
The Philanthropy Council of Northeast Nebraska, which presents the Norfolk Area Big Give, is a collaboration of 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations under the Norfolk Area Community Foundation Fund, which is affiliated with the Nebraska Community Foundation.
For more information on how to participate in next yearโs Norfolk Area Big Give, contact the Philanthropy Council at [email protected]. Learn more about the Philanthropy Council at https://sharenorfolk.org/nonprofit/philanthropy-council-northeast-nebraska
