Chico, California (September 16, 2007) – On Saturday, October 11, the public is invited to “A Celebration of Community,” the completion of the Annie B’s Community Drive, a program of North Valley Community Foundation. The event will take place at the Chico City Plaza from 11AM until 2PM.

The celebration includes entertainment, refreshments, and awards. The announcement of donation totals will take place at noon. In addition, participating nonprofits will display information on the services each provides. The public is invited and there is no charge.

Organizations participating in Annie B’s include local schools, and organizations that provide services for healthcare, seniors, youth, the arts, animal welfare, museums, libraries, the environment, international efforts and a wide variety of community services.

Starting August 1, over 150 local nonprofits have been seeking donations from the community through the Annie B’s Community Drive. Total donations to all these organizations are expected to exceed $700,000 when the drive ends on September 30. North Valley Community Foundation has offered an additional $100,000 in grants to participating organizations as an incentive for donors to give. Each organization will get a percentage of this total, depending upon the amount of their donations.  Last year, nonprofits received 14% in addition to the designated donations received. All local nonprofits are eligible to participate.

Participating nonprofits will learn on October 11 the total contributions to their organization, 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 September 30. A complete list of nonprofits is available at www.nvcf.org, Checks must be mailed so they arrive by September 30. On line contributions can be made with a credit card.

“Annie B’s demonstrates the incredible spirit of giving that exists in the North Valley. We have provided a new and innovative way for this to take place,” states Alexa Valavanis, CEO of North Valley Community Foundation. “Following the 2007 Community Drive one year ago, we distributed $889,000 in donations to area nonprofits, far exceeding our expectations. In spite of this year’s difficult economy, our community has again responded with tremendous generosity.”

“We believe Annie B’s is a program for the entire community”, states Valavanis. “Whatever your interest, chances are you will find a nonprofit cause participating in Annie B’s that you want to support.  Most provide local services, but we also have international humanitarian efforts driven by local citizens. Gifts can be as small as $5. We also are very flexible in types of gifts that we can receive, including stocks and other tangible assets.”

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, PG&E, Prudential California Realty, Holbrook’s Clearance Center, a new book by Greg Cootsona called “Say Yes to No”,  and Anonymous Donors.  Additional donors include Tittle & Company, the Sweeney Family, Stoner, Jeffers and Associates Accounting, Safor Corporation, Soroptimist International of Chico, UBS Financial Services, Noon Exchange Club and Stewart, Humphreys, Burchett and Molin, LLC.

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 $6.5 million, NVCF provides financial and administrative services to donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations with the goalof 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.