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Special to The Journal

Kentucky Gives Day — the statewide 24-hour online giving event — returns for an eighth year on May 12.

Nonprofit organizations interested in a tool to raise needed funds for their mission and boost their online fundraising efforts are encouraged to participate.

So far, there are five Jessamine County nonprofits participating: Wilmore-High Bridge Community Service Center, Hope’s Embrace, Primate Rescue Center, Kentucky Equine Adoption Center and The Family Center.

“Last year, Kentucky Gives Day helped nonprofits across Kentucky work together to raise over $383,000 through a single website in only 24 hours,” said Danielle Clore, chief executive office of Kentucky Nonprofit Network , the state association of nonprofits and host of the annual event. “The seven-year total is over $2 million raised and given the incredible needs of nonprofits in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we look forward to continuing to help Kentuckians near and far connect with causes they care about in 2020 — there is tremendous need.”

The 24-hour event begins at midnight on May 12 and continues until 11:59 p.m.

Kentuckians near and far will go online to www.kygives.org, connect with the Kentucky charities and causes they care about, and make donations.

Kentucky nonprofits have received nearly 11,000 donations since the event launched in 2013.

This year, participating organizations are relying on a successful Kentucky Gives Day even more than ever before. According to a recent survey conducted by KNN and Grantmakers of Kentucky, 92 percent of responding Kentucky nonprofits report being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 and its spillover impact have made the missions of the commonwealth’s more than 20,000 nonprofits more challenging than ever – threatening lives and jobs, including the community safety net staffed and supported by many of Kentucky’s nonprofit organizations.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on Kentucky’s nonprofits, KNN has taken additional steps to provide expanded support to these organizations, including reduced fees for organizations that are not current KNN members (Kentucky Gives Day participation remains free for current KNN members), and extended use of the online giving platform, which opened for donations on Wednesday, April 1, to give nonprofits more time to raise much-needed funds during this challenging time.

In a time when coming to the office to process checks is harder than ever, the online donation platform is especially helpful. All of the donations, with the exception of minimal processing fees, go directly to the organization. Donors have the option to cover the processing fees on behalf of the organization. And nonprofits receiving donations through www.kygives.org will receive funds via direct deposit a few days after receipt.

So far, more than 120 organizations have signed up to participate in Kentucky Gives Day, all 501(c)3 charities representing the arts, environment, health, children, animal welfare, humanitarian aid and more.

The Central Kentucky Community Foundation in Elizabethtown is a regional partner of the event.

“On an ordinary day, the work of Kentucky’s nonprofit organizations is inspiring. Their ability to innovate and pivot in these extraordinary days is nothing short of heroic,” Clore said. “Many of Kentucky’s charitable nonprofits are in desperate need of donations and they need support now. I urge organizations needing a tool like this to get registered as soon as possible. We anticipate this being the largest Kentucky Gives Day in the event’s history — Kentucky’s nonprofits and the communities and Kentuckians they serve are in incredible need.”

For more information, visit www.kygives.org.