June 6 marks a new way to do good.

Pop-Up Giving empowers individuals to join and become instant grant makers in a fun and social environment.

“It introduces the concept of collaborative giving and provides another entry point to the world of philanthropy and volunteerism,” said Hayley Wasser, associate director of major gifts for United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region.

Each quarterly event will have a slightly different flavor, themed to align with one of UWBCKR’s focus areas – health, education, income or basic needs. All are designed to be fast, fun, and a meaningful way to learn about some of the community’s most pressing issues.

“There is an element of surprise and energy that comes out of these experiences, where attendees can feel the immediate impact of their philanthropy,” Wasser said.

HOW IT WORKS

• Attendees buy in with a $20 donation to receive a ballot. All donations are pooled to create a pot.
• Three nonprofit organizations, selected by United Way staff based on community nominations and Pop-Up Giving criteria, are notified in advance and invited to give a three-minute pitch to the crowd about why they should receive the night’s “grant funds.” Each pitch is followed by a two-minute Q&A session.
• The voting begins, and the winning nonprofit is announced.

“Pop-Up Giving provides a taste of what a collaborative giving can be. It’s our hope that folks who come to this first one will feel good about the impact they made, learn at least one new thing about the community, and continue to come back,” Wasser said.

Community members can nominate a nonprofit by emailing getinvolved@uwbckr.org or commenting on our Facebook page.

Pop-Up Giving events can also be customized. If you’re interested in hosting a PUG event with your friends or colleagues, let us know!

HOW TO TAKE PART

Health is the theme of the inaugural Pop-Up Giving event, set for 5-7 p.m. June 6 at The Depot, hosted by Cherry Tree Financial, at 433 E. Michigan Ave. in Kalamazoo. It’s located between HopCat and Maru Sushi. The doors open at 5 p.m., and the program begins at 5:45 p.m.

Attendees will enjoy food by HopCat, a drink courtesy of GreenStreet Marketing, and the chance to vote for one of three health-based organizations providing physical, mental or behavioral health for families and infants in Kalamazoo.

Sponsors for this event are Buy Local Kalamazoo, Cherry Tree Financial and GreenStreet Marketing.

Space is limited. Register and pay in advance to guarantee a spot: http://bit.ly/2psp57G. Anyone who pre-pays or arrives by 5:20 p.m. the day of the event will receive an extra drink ticket.

Join us to help change the story in a new and exciting way!

More information: https://www.changethestory.org/pug

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