Technological problems marred the first day of the annual 36-hour “Great Give” fundraising event.
New Haven is one of 54 communities doing the massive fundraising event Tuesday and Wednesday. Hundreds of not-for-profit agencies compete for donations and matching prizes. The event started at 8 a.m. Tuesday. It is scheduled to run through 8 p.m. Wednesday. The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, which sponsors the event, aimed to raise $1.5 million for over 400 agencies and award $190,000 in prizes.
The national firm that runs the computer program for the donation for all 54 events failed to keep up with the demand. Nationally, people had trouble all day and night making donations on the system. One city, Pittsburgh, decided to cancel the event.
Community Foundation for Greater New Haven CEO Will Ginsberg said he will decide at 8 a.m. Wednesday whether to suspend the event at that point and resume the event in coming weeks; or to continue the event as planned, and extend it until noon on Thursday.
Iin the meantime, the donation forms are back up. Yes, you can donate. And yes, your donations will count in the competition, whether or not the event gets suspended Wednesday morning.
So please do! Please click here to donate to WNHH radio through the Online Journalism Project.
Click here to donate to all the other great groups raising money.
And we are continuing our 24-hour radiothon/webathon on WNHH and on our New Haven Independent website. Watch the webathon here.
Atticus Cafe/Chabaso Bakery is sponsoring our webathon.
Stay tuned for updates.
