Nonprofits in East Texas benefited from the generosity of 5,860 donors during East Texas Giving Day, the region’s recognized day of giving to support local nonprofits, where donors contributed $2,689,308 to support the causes they care about in 32 East Texas counties.

The East Texas Communities Foundation hopes to raise $3 million for area nonprofits during its annual East Texas Giving Day.

The virtual fundraising campaign kicks off at 6 a.m. today and will continue for 18 hours. Although Giving Day officially begins today, the group had already raised $315,000 for participating nonprofits as of Monday afternoon.

Nearly 300 nonprofits will benefit from the donations, including 122 in Smith County, 33 in Gregg County and the rest in surrounding East Texas counties that ETCF covers.

Donors can visit www.easttexasgivingday.org and give at least $10 to support a local nonprofit. Those who donate can also pledge volunteer hours and give back to the community by donating their time.

“Giving Day is just a very fun opportunity for people to get involved. You find a lot about the community that you live in by looking at the variety of nonprofits that are participating. We want people to celebrate the nonprofits and the work that they do,” said Holly McFarlin, public relations director of East Texas Communities Foundation. “They really fill a gap that our government and things like that can’t fill because these are truly boots on the ground and individuals helping on the front lines.”

McFarlin said the campaign fills the gap for area nonprofits to provide for those in need.

“People are still needing extra support such as those who may have gotten behind because they lost their job or something like that,” she said. “This online fundraiser will provide them with that extra fundraising arm that they need in order to continue with their mission.”

For fans of particular charities and nonprofits, ETCF has allowed donors to show their support and love by creating celebration pages for this year’s event.

“Celebration pages provide the public an opportunity to be an active participant in the Giving Day experience,” McFarlin said. “If you feel passionately about a local charity, this is your chance to get involved. You can create a celebration page, tell your story about the nonprofit and share that with your friends and family either by social media, text or email.”

To create a celebration page, donors can select any participating nonprofit at www.EastTexasGivingDay.org, create a donor profile and complete a few simple questions.

“Celebration pages have proven to elevate awareness and help nonprofits reach their overall campaign goals,” she said. “Last year these pages made a huge impact on the nonprofits and gave a voice to their most loyal advocates.”

McFarlin also mentioned that donors who make a contribution will get an immediate tax acknowledgement which can be used for their taxes in 2023.

Local participating nonprofits:

Smith County

1 in 3 Foundation, 89.5 KVNE & Lift Worship 91.3 & Fuzion, ACHIEVING DREAMS, Adventum Mental Health Network, Inc., All Saints Episcopal School, Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County, Alzheimer’s Association, Andrews Center Treatment and Learning Center, Angel Layettes, Angel Paws Advocates, Azleway, Inc., Bethesda Health Clinic, Breckenridge Village of Tyler (BVT), Bullard Community Library, Caldwell Arts Alliance, Inc., Camp Tyler Foundation, Cancer Foundation For Life, CANTORI Choral Artists of East Texas, CARE- Christ-centered Abortion Recovery and Education, CASA for Kids of East Texas, Champions for Children, Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County, Christian Homes & Family Services, Christian Women’s Job Corps Tyler, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Foundation, Community Assisting Military Personnel and Veterans (CampV), Cotton Belt Railroad Depot Museum, Discovery Science Place, East Texas Area Council Boy Scouts of America, East Texas Cares, East Texas Center For Independent Living, East Texas Emergency Communication Service, Inc. , East Texas Food Bank, East Texas State Fair/Academic Rodeo, East Texas Symphony Orchestra, East Texas Trail Advocates, East Texas Youth Orchestra, Inc., First Tee – Greater Tyler, Food Finders of Smith County, For The Silent, Freedom Seekers International , Friends of the Tyler Public Library, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, GM2 Foundation, Gold Network of East Texas, Good Shepherd Reformed Episcopal School, Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Grace Community School, Habitat for Humanity of Smith County, Hand Up Network, Heart & Hands of East Texas, Heart of Tyler, Inc., Historic Tyler, Inc., Hope Haven of East Texas, King’s Academy Christian School, L and L Ministries, Inc., Leadership Tyler, League of Women Voters – Tyler/Smith County, Lillie Russell Memorial Library, Lindale ISD’s Education Foundation, Literacy Council of Tyler, Living Alternatives, Lone Star Transport Dogs, Make A Wish Foundation – North Texas, Meals on Wheels Ministry, Inc., Mentoring Alliance, Mosaic Counseling Centers of East Texas Inc., NAMI Tyler, New Texas Sinfonia, Next Step Community Solutions, North Tyler Day Nursery, O’Malley Alley Cat – Tyler, One Man’s Treasure, Pastors’ Hope Network, PATH – People Attempting to Help Pine Cove Inc., Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, Program For Humanitarian Aid (PHA), Promise Academy, Pure Religion, Refuge of Light, Sight.org, Smith County Bar Foundation, Smith County Historical Society, Smith County Junior Livestock Show and Scholarship, SPCA OF EAST TEXAS, SPORTyler, SRGDRR, St. Gregory Cathedral School, St. Paul Children’s Services, St. Vincent de Paul, Starbrite Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Texas Ramp Project, The Arc Smith County, The Children’s Park of Tyler, The Fostering Collective, The Hospice of East Texas, The Humane Society’s Pets Fur People, The Salvation Army of Tyler, The Tyler Loop, Therapet: Animal Assisted Therapy, Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary, Tiny Evie Rocks, Tyler Area Ambucs, Tyler Area Business Education Council, Tyler Civic Chorale, Tyler Civic Theater Center, Tyler Deaf & Hard of Hearing Center, Tyler Innovation Pipeline, Tyler ISD Foundation, Tyler Junior College Foundation, Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler Street Team, Tyler Type 1 Diabetes Foundation, United Way of Smith County, Whitehouse Community Library, Whitehouse ISD Education Foundation, Wings Ministries Inc, Women’s Fund of Smith County, Young Audiences Arts for Learning, Northeast Texas, Young Life Tyler.

Gregg County

First United Methodist Church, Animal Protection League, Asbury House Child Enrichment Center, Buckner Children and Family Services, Caring and Sharing, Church on Purpose of Longview Texas Inc, Community Healthcore Foundation, East Texas CASA, East Texas Oil Museum, East Texas Symphonic Band, East Texas Treatment Center, Family Promise of Longview, Friends of the Kilgore Public Library, Friends of the Longview Public Library, Heartisans Marketplace, Hiway 80 Rescue Mission, Keys to the Kingdom Outreach Ministry, Legacy of Longview, LeTourneau University, Longview Arboretum and Nature Center, Longview Child Development Center, Longview Dream Center, Longview Symphony, Neal McCoy’s East Texas Angel Network , Newgate Mission, Northeast Texas Habitat for Humanity Northeast Texas, One Love World , Operation True North, Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services, Refuge International, Silver Paws, Texas Shakespeare Festival, The Cat’s Meow Rescue (TCMR).