Alaska Giving Coalition announces Pick. Click. Give. Campaign Encouraging Alaskans to give through new PFD option
The Alaska Giving Coalition starts a statewide campaign today to introduce Alaskans to a new way to support their favorite nonprofit organizations. The project – called Pick. Click. Give. – allows Alaskans who file on-line for their 2009 Permanent Fund Dividend check to give all or part of it to qualifying nonprofitsor to campuses of the University of Alaska.
“This is a safe and secure way to make a donation,” says Jim Caldarola, chair of the Alaska Giving Coalition. “Our hope is that Alaskans use this option to start a tradition of giving or to increase their charitable contributions.”
Caldarola explained that the promotional campaign will use television, radio, print, a website, a blog and social media. He said the Rasmuson Foundation, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and ConocoPhillips are helping to underwrite the campaign. Information also will be available in the PFD booklet that is sent to each Alaska home.
“After seeing and hearing the ads and spending time at the new website, we believe Alaskans will better understand the PFD Charitable Contributions Program and will be motivated to use it as a way to support organizations they care about,” Caldarola said. “We face huge economic challenges right now and it’s critical that we continue giving to Alaska’s nonprofits – many of whom provide essential life-lines to people in need around the state. Using our PFD checks is an excellent way to do this.”
More than 330 organizations qualified for the 2009 program and represent the diversity of nonprofits around the state. Each met a series of criteria laid out in the law establishing the program, which was passed by the Alaska State Legislature in May 2008. The program is authorized for three years, at which time it will be evaluated and the legislature will decide whether to continue it. A new application process will occur for years two and three of the project, allowing other organizations the opportunity to become qualified.
In addition to the website – www.PickClickGive.org — information is available by calling 1-888-785-GIFT (4438). Alaskans can interact with Pick. Click. Give. in social networks including MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter and learn more about the social media campaign on the Pick. Click. Give. blog at blog.PickClickGive.org.