SAN ANTONIO – Organizers with the Big Give hope a big media campaign and a higher profile in the community will help them raise a record $7 million in donations for 610 nonprofit organizations.
Instead of manning a phone bank as in previous years, the Big Give focused on a digital, mobile campaign.
Big Give organizers rented a double-decker bus as a roving headquarters to visit various nonprofit events throughout the day Thursday.
"We also have invested over $200,000 in media and marketing this year, which the organizers of Big Give have never done before," said Scott McAninch, CEO of The Nonprofit Council, which organizes The Big Give.
McAninch said by midday, overall donations were averaging $200,000 an hour.
One of the nonprofits hoping for big money is HIS BridgeBuilders, where education coordinator Sandra Fechner and a small army of volunteers help students with homework and providing free computer access.
"We know that part of the reason children leave school is they get depressed, and they get hopeless that they can never do the work if there's no one to give them a little nudge when they get stuck someplace," said Fechner.
Fechner said things are looking good for the education nonprofit that's hoping to get $35,000 in donations.
She said in addition to education services, the money raised will help them give out free food and clothes in hopes of getting the children to return.
"The children read 3,000 books last summer, and they don't want to read the same one over in the same summer," Fechner said.
The Big Give will be accepting donations until midnight Thursday. If you'd like to make a donation, click here.