Pick.Click.Give. Where You Live

I am a PCG donor, are you?

I give to my favorite charities through Pick.Click.Give. because it is easy, secure and fun, and for me, a chance to support my local community. It is also a great way to instill family values by helping your children to select causes that matter to them.

The Alaska Permanent Fund charitable check off program known as Pick.Click.Give. launched in 2008, and since then almost $17 million has flowed to Alaskan communities through their local nonprofits. Pick.Click.Give. allows you to direct $25 — or up to all of your PFD — to your favorite charitable organizations. The organizations must apply to be included each year, and the Pick.Click.Give. program vets the organizations to ensure they meet the required IRS, governance and reporting criteria. PFD applications are available Jan. 1 through March 31, but donors can add and/or change contributions through Aug. 31.

Did you know that there are 20 nonprofit organizations in Homer that participate in Pick.Click.Give.? This list includes the Homer Foundation, the organization that I have the pleasure of directing. That is one reason why I like to suggest to folks that they “give where they live” when they Pick.Click.Give. There are nineteen more good reasons, as you can see from the following list, and the ad on page 19 of this newspaper.

When you Pick.Click.Give. where you live, you can support public radio, the environment, arts and culture, health and social services, sports and recreation, youth, seniors, and our four-legged friends right here in our community. Each of these local organizations participate in Pick.Click.Give.:

• Bunnell Street Arts Center
• Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies
• Cook Inletkeeper
• Friends of Kachemak Bay State Parks
• Homer Animal Friends
• Homer Hockey Association
• HoWL
• Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic
• KBBI Public Radio
• Friends of the Homer Public Library
• Homer Council on the Arts
• Homer Foundation
• Homer Senior Citizens
• Hospice of Homer
• Independent Living Center
• Kachemak Heritage Land Trust
• Pier One Theatre
• Pratt Museum
• South Peninsula Haven House
• SPROUT Family Services

Whether you choose to join me and give locally, or you choose to give statewide, it’s easy to find your favorite organizations on the Pick.Click.Give. website: pickclickgive.org. There you will be able to search organizations on the list by name, city, or cause. You can also use the new “PICK TOOL” that helps you narrow in by interest areas, and you will find helpful FAQ’s about the program.

One frequently asked question is regarding the 7 percent coordination fee that is assessed at the aggregate level to each participating organization (donors are credited for 100 percent of their tax-deductible contribution). The fee helps cover the cost for statewide marketing, nonprofit tools and resources, and minimal program administration. These fees contribute to the sustainability of the program while making it possible for all nonprofit organizations, no matter their size, to benefit from the statewide marketing campaign, a luxury few organizations in Homer could afford. We also recognize there is a cost for any outreach and overhead for processing all donations. From my perspective, the Homer Foundation has benefited from participation in Pick.Click.Give. through increased awareness, donor participation, and the introduction to new donors.

Knowing you are supporting the causes you care most about should be incentive enough to Pick.Click.Give., but don’t forget the Double Your Dividend Sweepstakes. You could be one of five random winners who will be given the chance to donate a dividend to their favorite Pick.Click.Give. nonprofits. All you have to do is remember to Pick.Click.Give. between Jan. 1 and March 3t, when you apply for your PFD. Please consider our local nonprofits when you do!

Joy Steward is the Executive Director of the Homer Foundation and a ten year Pick.Click.Giver.

Pick.Click.Give. announces “Double Your Dividend” sweepstakes winners

Anchorage, AK – Five lucky Alaskans who made charitable donations through Pick.Click.Give. were chosen as the winners of the 2017 “Double Your Dividend” sweepstakes. Of the more than 20,000 people who made non-anonymous pledges, five were chosen at random to win a cash prize equal to the 2017 dividend amount. Unlike previous Double Your Dividend sweepstakes, this year had an added bonus. In the spirit of philanthropy, winners were awarded a $1,100 grant to donate to a nonprofit of their choice in addition to their personal prize money.

Winners of the Pick.Click.Give. “Double Your Dividend” sweepstakes are:

Hannah Kahahawai of Palmer

On how she has designated her PCG nonprofit award money: 

“I am awarding my prize money to two different nonprofits. I would like to divide the money evenly between Challenge Alaska and the Fisher House of Alaska. I chose to give to Challenge Alaska because I think that even if someone has a disability they shouldn’t be left out. They should have the opportunity to enjoy all the fun activities our beautiful state has to offer and Challenge Alaska helps make that possible with their programs. I also chose the Fisher House because I come from a military family and I think it is so important for families to be close to their loved ones during stressful times. The Fisher house provides both relief and comfort.”

 Hannah and Family, photo submitted by Hannah Kahahawai

Steven Jewell of Nikiski

On how he has designated his PCG nonprofit award money: 

“I would like to name Alaska’s Extended Life Animal Sanctuary as the nonprofit to also get prize money. We do not have children so our pets are our kids. I appreciate what this facility is doing for strays and unwanted animals on the Kenai Peninsula. I know they are trying to expand their facility to provide better care for the animals currently residing there and for future animals needing help. I think they could make this money go a long way toward that goal.”

Mark Norquist of Anchorage

On how he has designated his PCG nonprofit award money:

“Half to Alaska Public Media as it is a tremendous service for the people of Alaska and probably the most unbiased news source available. Half to Friends of the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center, as I am an avid backcountry skier and they provide extremely valuable information to help keep me and my fellow outdoor adventure buddies safe.”

 Mark and Djembe, photo submitted by Mark Norquist

Whitney Flores of Anchorage

On how she has designated her PCG nonprofit award money: 

“The organizations that I would like to donate to in equal amounts are Off the Chain Bicycle Education Corporation, Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands, Alaska Center, and the Food Bank of Alaska. I am choosing Off the Chain because it is an important part of our community. To me personally, it has provided me with lifelong friends, bicycle knowledge and the ability to feel confident riding in Anchorage. Off the Chain has dedicated volunteers that are always willing to help you learn about your bike. I have chosen Planned Parenthood because I believe that reproductive health and education is something that we all need access to. I am donating to the Alaska Center because I care deeply about environmental impacts that are affecting Alaska and feel that the Center’s efforts to educate the public and politicians about these impacts is imperative to forming better policies. Lastly, I am donating to the Food Bank of Alaska because food security and food access are important issues to me. No one should be hungry and the Food Bank of Alaska provides much needed access to those in need.”

 Whitney Flores, photo submitted by Whitney Flores

Candis Knowles of Palmer

On how she has designated her PCG nonprofit award money: 

Candis’ designations are: Mat Su Senior Services, Friends of the Palmer Public Library, and Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission, for all the incredible work they do.