Alexandria's annual online giving day, Spring2ACTion, generated a record-breaking $1,031,282 for 121 Alexandria nonprofits in 24 hours on April 9. More than 7,500 individuals joined forces with local restaurants and boutiques to participate in this fourth annual crowd-funding event. Hosted by ACT for Alexandria, Spring2ACTion is the only citywide giving day in the region designed to strengthen the impact of 121 local nonprofits.
“When the whole community comes together, it's amazing what we can achieve. Achieving an ambitious goal like this requires the support of the whole community — and we are so thankful for the generosity shown by so many caring individuals" said Brandi Yee, chief program officer at ACT for Alexandria. "The money raised goes toward so many worthy causes from food banks to mental health care to workforce development."
In addition to competing for $30,000 in prizes provided by ACT and its community partners, nonprofits had the opportunity to benefit from the proceeds of sales contributed by the Old Town Boutique District as well as from local restaurants, Holy Cow, Pork Barrel BBQ and Sweet Fire Donna's.
Top Prize Winners Included: Most Dollars - Casa Chirilagua (1st), RunningBrooke (2nd), Maury Elementary PTA (3rd), King Street Cats (4th), Alexandria Soccer Association(5th); Most Donors - Homeward Trails Animal Rescue Incorporated (1st), Casa Chirilagua (2nd), Alexandria Soccer Association (3rd), Maury Elementary PTA (4th), Carpenter's Shelter (5th); Free Agent Fundraisers (Individuals fundraising on behalf of a nonprofit) - Carpenter's Shelter-Team Development (1st), Empowered Women International-Rockstar Staff for Empowered Women (2nd), Urban Alliance-Double Down (3rd), and First Timers (Nonprofits participating in Spring2ACTion for the first time) - Homeward Trails Animal Rescue (1st), Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture (2nd), Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia (3rd).
Spring2ACTion was administered by Razoo and sponsored by The Bruhn-Morris Family Foundation, the Mason Hirst Foundation, Speck-Caudron Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, Washington Forrest Foundation, the Campbell Kent Fund, David and Diann Frantz, and Give Back Alexandria. Community partners include Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, the City of Alexandria, Causetown, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, SpottedMP (Marketing + Public Relations), and Six Half Dozen.