Chico, California (October 1, 2007) – The completion of the Annie B’s Community Drive will be celebrated on Saturday, October 13, on the grounds of Bidwell Mansion. The event will last from 11AM until 2PM. The public is invited and there is no charge.

Starting August 15, over 100 local nonprofits have been seeking donations from the community through the Annie B’s Community Drive . Total donations to all these organizations are approaching $400,000, with ten days remaining for fundraising. North Valley Community Foundation has offered an additional $100,000 in grants to participating organizations. Each organization will get a percentage of this total, depending upon the amount of their donations. All local nonprofits are eligible to participate.

Participating organizations will learn on October 13 the total contributions to their nonprofit, information they do not have access to during the community drive. An announcement will also be made that day of the estimated percentage match each will receive from the $100,000 in grants.

Donations will be accepted through October 11 to one of over 100 local nonprofits that are participating in the Annie B’s Community Drive. A complete list of nonprofits is available at www.nvcf.org, in addition to instructions for on line contributions.

“Annie B’s is an incredible program designed to encourage philanthropy throughout the region,” states Alexa Valavanis, CEO of the Community Foundation. “During the first six weeks, we received nearly $400,000 in donations. All community members can participate in Annie B’s Community Drive. So far, gifts range from $50,000 to $5. Participating organizations are working in all segments of the charitable sector, and donors are demonstrating they are ready to make generous contributions. We have instituted an online giving option, to make it as convenient as possible.”

The $100,000 in grants is made possible through generous gifts to North Valley Community Foundation. The project originated with a gift of $250,000 (to be used over five years) from a local donor. This has been supplemented with large gifts from Co-Challengers, including New Urban Builders, the Safor Corporation, Prudential California Realty, Norcal Waste Systems, Stuart Murray of Merrill Lynch and anonymous donors. Additional donors include Tittle& Company, Harvest Accounting and Management Systems.

The program is open to all local nonprofit organizations and includes a process for online giving. The goal of Annie B’s Community Drive is to increase support from donations and to help organizations fulfill their missions in sustainable ways. In addition to checks and on-line giving, gifts of stocks, real estate, and other tangible assets are welcome.

The Community Foundation expects to duplicate a similar effort in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, that raised $6 million last year and $45 million over the past 10 years.

NVCF is a nonprofit, philanthropic organization that builds financial resources to meet community needs through grants and programs primarily for residents in the Butte, Colusa, Glenn and Tehama Counties. With net assets of over $4 million, NVCF provides financial and administrative services to donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations with the goal of enriching the quality of life for community members. Since 1989, hundreds of individuals, families, businesses, and community groups have established funds at the Foundation.

The NVCF office is open Monday – Friday, 8am-5pm and by appointments on the weekends. NVCF is located at 3120 Cohasset Rd., Suite 8 in Chico, California, (530) 891-1150. For questions regarding the Annie B’s Community Drive contact NVCF Program Officer Alexa Valavanis at extension 23 or visit www.nvcf.org.

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