For Immediate Release
Contact: Jordan Marshall, 907-334-0510
$1.5 million goal announced for Pick. Click. Give.
Filing season for PFD checks opens on January 1
ANCHORAGE, December 29, 2010 – The partnership that’s promoting Pick. Click. Give. announced today that it hopes Alaskans will share $1.5 million of their 2011 Permanent Fund Dividend with Alaska nonprofits when they file online. Alaskans begin filing for their PFD this Saturday. This is the third year they may also make a charitable contribution with all or part of their dividend.
According to Jordan Marshall, a project manager for Rasmuson Foundation, which is a major supporter of Pick. Click. Give., this year’s goal marks a 50 percent increase over the amount raised in 2010.
“In 2010, more than 9,500 generous Alaskans donated almost $1 million through Pick. Click. Give.,” said Marshall. “That amount exceeded 2009 donations when approximately 5,500 people gave $545,000.”
Marshall also cited a recent survey as a reason for optimism. It showed that nearly three-out-of-four residents have heard of Pick. Click. Give., and that 10 percent of them were “very likely” to make a contribution using the program.
“Given the positive results we received from the survey, the awareness campaign we’re running and the nonprofit community’s work to spread the message about Pick. Click. Give., we are confident we can meet our goal this year,” he said.
The Pick. Click. Give. media awareness and public relations campaign is in full swing this week. Radio and television announcements continue, and a newspaper insert will run Sunday that lists all the participating organizations. People who want more information on organizations eligible for donations can find that at www.PickClickGive.org.
Marshall said the awareness efforts are especially intense right now because 100,000 Alaskans file in the first four days of the New Year.
“We know Alaskans are considering their giving decisions right now,” said Marshall. “We’re providing as much information as we can to make them aware of Pick. Click. Give. and how important it is for individuals to give to the organizations they care about.”
In addition to statewide media, a campaign has been launched on Facebook that urges people to “confess” why they give through Pick. Click. Give. It can be found at www.facebook.com/PickClickGive.
“We want Alaskans to understand that even small donations make a huge difference,” Marshall said. “If every Alaskan gives just $25 of their PFD through Pick. Click. Give., more than $15 million will be raised for important causes. “
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Pick. Click. Give. is coordinated through a partnership including the Permanent Fund Dividend Division of the Alaska Department of Revenue, Rasmuson Foundation, The Foraker Group, the Alaska Giving Coalition, the United Way of Anchorage and the Alaska Community Foundation. The Pick. Click. Give. statewide outreach campaign is made possible through financial support from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, BP Alaska, ConocoPhillips Alaska, the Mat-Su Health Foundation, the Friends of the Alaska Children’s Trust, Providence Health + Services Alaska, Flint Hills Resources Alaska, and Rasmuson Foundation. Also, providing generous amounts of in-kind support are Alaska Public Radio Network, Coast Alaska and Alaska One public broadcasting, the Alaska Club, and Nerland Agency.