Jefferson County Gives team prepares for first fundraiser with orientation session

The following is a press release from the organizers behind the inaugural Jefferson County Gives fundraiser, scheduled for March 19, 2026. The release has been reprinted in full below.

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The organizers behind the first annual Jefferson County Gives held a participant orientation Tuesday, January 27, at the Bonham Theatre in Fairbury.

Scheduled for March 19, Jefferson County Gives is a 24-hour period of giving benefitting nearly 40 local charitable causes and organizations for projects in Jefferson County.

This effort was inspired by giving days in neighboring communities and is the result of two years of planning. It’s an opportunity for local organizations to share their goals with potential donors, and for Jefferson County communities to pool support.

At the orientation, Mandy VanLaningham and Carmen Hinman with Hope Crisis Center gave a presentation on successful fundraising. VanLaningham is the organization’s Coordinator of Development, Education and Strategy. Hinman is Hope Crisis Center’s Executive Director and a Jefferson County Gives board member.

Hope Crisis Center has successfully participated in many giving day events in surrounding counties, including Gage, Seward and Thayer. Approaching potential donors can be an intimidating experience, and VanLaningham and Hinman wanted to share the strategies that have helped the Hope Crisis Center staff.

“It’s important to repeat to yourself and remember that your organization is a good steward of money and does great work in the community,” VanLaningham said during the presentation. “People are excited to support you.”

After learning fundraising tips, participants were shown some of the nuts and bolts of the Jefferson County Gives website. Each of the 39 causes and organizations signed up for the event have a profile page on the website they can use to describe their project. Jefferson County Gives board member Brian Aden (Bonham Theatre Project) provided a tutorial on how the profile pages work, and other features of Jeffersoncountygives.com.

With March 19 approaching, Jefferson County Gives organizers are encouraging all the area’s residents to help spread the word and support the causes near and dear to them. On the day of the event donations can be made both online at Jeffersoncountygives.com and at in-person events planned at On The Bricks in Fairbury and the Diller Fire Hall.

To learn more follow Jefferson County Gives on Facebook or visit Jeffersoncountygives.com.