Local nonprofits need your support on North Texas Giving Day

Heavenly Hooves in Farmersville offers equine therapy for children with disabilities free of charge. The nonprofit is raising funds to build a covered arena. Courtesy  photo

Supporting a favorite local nonprofit or cause doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming if you live in North Texas thanks to a unique fundraising event started in 2009. 

For 15 years, the Communities Foundation of Texas has hosted North Texas Giving Day (NTxGD), an 18-hour community-wide online giving event to build awareness and support nonprofits. 

In 2022, the event raised $62.6 million for 3,210 nonprofits serving the 20-county North Texas community thanks to 94,385 donors, “bringing the 14-year total to over $503 million for our community,” reported the foundation. 

On September 21, NTxGD kicks off one of the largest, annual community-wide fundraising events in the nation connecting North Texas nonprofits and supporters. 

There are 27 cause areas to support on NTxGD including animal rescue, environment and conservation, human trafficking and exploitation, seniors, veterans and many more.

According to northtexasgivingday.org, organizations can partner with the foundation by hosting employee giving campaigns, offering financial matches for key nonprofits and host custom-designed and branded platform year-round.

For donors, early giving started Sept. 1 and continues through Sept. 20. The website simplifies the process of researching reliable information and making charitable donations in set or custom amounts to the beneficiary of your choice.

For nonprofits, the special giving day serves as another awareness building and fundraising tool designed to support their organizational goals so they may better serve the communities. 

Featured here are just a few of the many local nonprofits participating in North Texas Giving Day this year. 

Search northtexasgivingday.org to join in on the Giving Day movement by supporting your favorite events, teams, fundraisers or local nonprofits on or before Sept. 21! 

Amazing Grace Food Pantry

Mission: Helping in the fight against hunger in North Texas through Christ’s love and the generosity of the community. Goal: $5,000

The pantry, located near St. Paul in Wylie, relies upon the generosity of the community and the varied talents of dedicated volunteers to procure, sort, and distribute over 60 thousand pounds of food each month to residents in multiple communities.

Funds raised during this year’s NTxGD will be used for purchasing healthy and easy to prepare foods for the AGFP Food4Kids program. 

Karen Ellis, CEO of Amazing Grace Food Pantry, said the pantry delivers 120 weekend backpacks of kid friendly food to area schools every week during the school year. However, the number of families in need “is growing at an alarming rate,” Ellis said. “As the numbers increase, so does our need to increase our weekly stock to meet the challenge.” 

Blackland Prairie Raptor Center

Mission: Blackland Prairie Raptor Center is dedicated to environmental preservation through public education and the conservation of birds of prey and wildlife in their natural habitat. Goal: $35,000

On an annual basis, Blackland Prairie Raptor Center, located in Lucas near Lake Lavon, treats up to 800 raptor patients, educates more than 5,000 students and works to restore its 60-acre campus back to tall grass prairie. 

“Our organization is in need of financial support to ensure our team has the resources necessary to execute these initiatives,” said Laura Johnson, BPRC Education and Training Manager.

Fine Arts on Main

Mission: A beacon for Northeast Texas that showcases the creativity of artists appealing to the diversity of our community and to be curators of exceptional moments. Goal: $50,000

The Farmersville performing arts venue, Fine Arts on Main, needs funds to maintain a space to showcase the talent of local artists including complimentary lighting, wireless microphones and storage for set designs. Other needs include marketing materials — brochures, a website and social media accounts —to attract visitors and potential customers, funding for events, workshops and classes to help promote the arts and educate the community.

Heavenly Hooves

Mission: To provide a caring and therapeutic environment and program using horses and will show our Christian values and beliefs through our actions/behaviors. Goal: $150,000

Heavenly Hooves, a Farmersville nonprofit that provides equine assisted therapy to individuals with physical, psychological, or emotional disorders free of charge, has grown steadily in the nearly 10 years since opening. 

The 100% volunteer-based organization is asking for funds to build a covered riding area to protect the students —many who have health issues—from the cold, wind, sun and rain. 

Co-founder and director Lynn Turner said one of her students has a diagnosis that includes a short life span. 

“The more we can help him, the more we can extend his life,” she said. “Every time we have to cancel [because of weather] it’s one more time that he doesn’t get to build his strength.”

Love Looks Like This

Mission: To minimize the adverse impacts facing young adults aging out of foster care by facilitating mentorships, education, and training, improving self-advocacy and building circles of support.  Goal: $25,000

Love Looks Like This Founder and Executive Director Brady Cottle is joining in on the NTxGD fundraising efforts for the first time this year. 

Cottle said the nonprofit, formed in 2022, “will use the funds to expand our ability to provide transition to adulthood support services to more system connected youth ages 16-24 which includes youth aging out of foster care and former foster youth and other at-risk groups.”  

“Our goal is to help youth establish strong community connections in all areas of life that help them thrive,” Cottle said, “and increase opportunities for success and avoiding the many risk factors such as high rates of homelessness, addiction, incarceration, low graduation and continued education, high rates of unemployment and low rates of community mobility.”

Shutt’er Down Ranch & Rescue

Mission: To provide a forever safe haven to rescued farm animals  Goal: $10,000 

Shutt’er Down Ranch is a 30-acre sanctuary in Farmersville and home to Girty’s Place Animal Rescue, a rescue focused on medically injured animals in need of rescue and rehabilitation. In 2022, NTxGD funds were used for fencing and feed for all 200-plus ranch animals. This year, the nonprofit needs additional funds to expand the livestock pens on the property. Additionally, SDRR said its Rescue Bank nonprofit, a charity that supports other animal rescue groups to provide much needed pet food and supplies, vfood and supplies to rescues in 2022.

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