COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tuesday is Midlands Gives Day, an 18-hour giving challenge hosted by Central Carolina Community Foundation that takes place virtually on Tuesday, May 3 from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
546 community nonprofits are participating in Midlands Gives.
The Friends of the Lexington Main Library and the Columbia Museum of Art both say these donations are critical to help provide education across the Midlands.
"The library is the cornerstone of the community, there is something for everybody," said Ryan Mears, vice president of the Friends of the Lexington Main Library. "We have so many different technologies for people to use, so many services."
Mears says the donations help learners of all ages. "We support the Lexington Main Library by giving them the technology for their virtual programs, and we fund the summer reading program kick-off party, which last year was attended by over 600 people," Mears said. "We also have a program called to Book by Book, where we have provided over 800 books already this year to Lexington District One emerging readers."
Donations are also important to the Columbia Museum of Art.
"We get the opportunity to expose the community to arts and culture in a way that you normally wouldn't see unless you lived in a major city," said Christina Palmer, chief development officer with the Columbia Museum of Art.
"It will help us continue to do our program, called More Than Rhythm, a Black music series," Palmer said. "That series provides an opportunity to come in and see great performances, as well as fantastic discussion around music and how that music has influenced music not only in America but throughout the world.
Nonprofits United Way of Kershaw County and the Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association (DORA) said these donations impact their ability to feed people in the community.
"Whether it's a $10 gift or a $10,000 gift, we'll take it," said Kirk Mays, vice president of resource development at United Way of Kershaw County. "The needs have almost tripped the last couple of years as far as folks needing food, access to food ... food insecurity has become a real, real problem in our food desert."
Donny Supplee, president of United Way of Kershaw County said donations speed up the process of getting fresh food to those who need it.
"Being able to purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables is a need that we have," Supplee said. "We have folks that are giving us things, but to have those fresh fruits and vegetables is not like canned goods, so we need to have that so we can purchase and get that out right now.
There is also a demand for food in Orangeburg.
"Orangeburg is considered a food desert, so to have our farmers market in downtown Orangeburg is a blessing for all of our residents as being a central hub for the city and the county seat," said Candace Robertson with the Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association. "These funds will be used to help promote our farmers market and keep our vendor rates low for our farmers who are locally grown in Orangeburg and offer it free to the community."
Donations end at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, May 3rd. Click here to donate.