Give Corps collaborative string art!

Local crowd-funding site GiveCorps celebrated its first year of grassroots philanthropy in a one-of-a-kind anniversary party attended by nearly 200 of Baltimore’s kindest people. The event, held at Union Mill in Hampden, celebrated the culture of philanthropy in Baltimore by honoring GiveCorps donors and nonprofit and merchant partners. To date, more than 200 nonprofits have benefited from the generosity of more than 3,000 Baltimoreans, collectively serving nearly 30,000 of our neighbors in need.

Founder Jamie McDonald, with the pink scarf

“One of GiveCorps’ core beliefs is you don’t have to be rich to be a philanthropist – and together, small-dollar philanthropy can have great impact,” says Jamie McDonald, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of GiveCorps. “Today, we’re honoring Baltimore philanthropists of all ages, and at all giving levels. We’re so proud of what they’ve accomplished in just one year.”

The celebration highlighted GiveCorps’ frequent givers, like Kate Bladow, founder and principal strategist at Powered Pursuits.

Peter Jackson proudly displays the Give Corps Change Jar

“Daily, GiveCorps tells me about programs that are actively making Baltimore a better place to be and makes it easy to support their work,” says Bladow, one of GiveCorps’ frequent donors. “As someone who works with nonprofits and technology, I’m interested in new giving platforms and kept watch for their launch. Although I started watching the site for professional reasons, I’ve transitioned to using it for some of my personal giving.”

Proceeds from the party benefited six community nonprofits, all in attendance to spread the word about their work. Moveable Feast, which provides meals, weekly groceries, and nutritional counseling to homebound people living with HIV/AIDS, has completed two projects with GiveCorps and raised more than $3,400.

 The crowd from above at Union Mill

According to Moveable Feast’s Hanna Mast, it was about more than money. “GiveCorps has given Moveable Feast a chance to reach out to younger philanthropists and to offer our long time donors another fun way to give. For Moveable Feast – it only takes $5.41 to feed one person for a day, and we found that GiveCorps is a great venue through which to show how even small donations add up to larger change.”

Other nonprofits benefiting from the proceeds of the event were Child First Authority, Cylburn Arboretum Association, Baltimore Montessori Public Charter School, The Youth Dreamers, and Page Turners.

The party was catered by GiveCorps merchant partners Woodberry Kitchen, Taharka Brothers Ice Cream, Bonjour Bakery and Union Craft Brewers, with entertainment provided by student performers from the Baltimore School for the Arts and a collaborative art led by Baltimore’s TT the Artist.

Jan Baum and What Weekly Publisher Brooke Hall share in the celebration

GiveCorps’ mission is to nurture an online community where people find their passion to give, local non-profits find their core supporters, and local merchants reward donors for giving. This is a community of givers whose collective generosity – in dollars and personal commitment – makes them the most powerful philanthropists in Baltimore.

To learn more about Give Corps, go to www.givecorps.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Click here to read our previous interview with Give Corps CEO Jamie McDonald!

Hard at work on the “We Are The Change” collaborative string art project