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Representatives from various area nonprofits gathered at Morgan Pavilion last week to celebrate the $62,000 received last year from donors.
Larry Griffin
lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com
The Swain County United Gift Fund met last Wednesday, March 29 at Morgan Pavilion to give out this year’s checks to local nonprofits, with a total of $62,849 from 2022’s fundraising season.
Mike Shakar, president of the United Gift Fund, bid “heartfelt thanks” to the donors who’d contributed this go around and said what the nonprofits were doing for clients was worth praise. He said it was a “group effort” and that he enjoyed the success stories that nonprofits shared from using the funds.
Shakar said one side effect of the past three years and all of the tumultuous chaos with the pandemic was that, apparently, people were donating more to nonprofits. The past three years have been the most the United Gift Fund has received at any point since its 2006 inception.
Shakar said they’ve gotten $210,000 overall in the past three years, which “has 100% stayed in Swain County” as per the mission of UGF.
The group of nonprofit representatives went around in a circle talking about what they’d use the money for. Swain-Qualla SAFE director Laura Mason said this was a blessing – SAFE has been seeing less federal funding for several years now.
In addition, Parker Chatham, executive director of Restoration House, said the UGF money would help his agency to continue serving the homeless population of the area.
The Smoky Mountain Community Theatre received funding, which theater board vice president Karen Proctor and treasurer Aaron Swenson said would go toward continuing to platform “exclusive talent and skill” in the area.
Kathleen Burns with The Giving Spoon said this would help the many who struggle, which her organization helps out with various kinds of charity.
Natala Addy, representing Hope Springs Eternal, said the funding would help that program continue to assist men in the area with substance abuse recovery.
Jeff Delfield, librarian at the Marianna Black Library, said the UGF funds would help fund new enhancements for the library in general.
The UGF accepts donations through its fundraiser between September and December each year.
Shakar said to apply, nonprofits need to send UGF an application telling them what the funds are needed for, usually between May and July every year.
Ultimately, Shakar said the UGF initiative is positive for everyone – the nonprofits get much-needed funding, and donors get to contribute in ways they feel are helpful.
“The donors are Swain County residents,” he said. “They like the idea of giving once to benefit many.”