Giving DuPage is DuPage County’s community resource on volunteerism and giving. While their mission is to promote giving and volunteering within the county, they also provide educational resources in partnership with NIU, and capacity building through a county-wide fundraiser called Giving DuPage Days in May. They raised close to one million dollars in the last 3 years for area nonprofit organizations.
In the beginning
The nonprofit was founded in 2001 by two philanthropists who wanted to connect members of the community to different volunteer opportunities. They wanted to create more awareness of all the ways people could share their time, treasure, and talent with others. They were supported by the DuPage County government and worked in collaboration with the Healthy DuPage initiative to create the DuPage Philanthropy Project. While the name has since changed to Giving DuPage, the mission and vision have remained consistent over the last twelve years. Committed to the belief that every individual can contribute positively to the community, they inspire and inform local businesses, civic groups, and individuals to share their resources of time, money, goods, and services with non-profits, serving the needs of county residents. Conversely, they also assist non-profits in increasing their capacities to raise funds and utilize volunteers.
Volunteerism champion in DuPage County
Over the years, the organization has grown into a valuable resource for volunteerism and giving, serving on boards and committees of the United Way, the Academy for Non-Profit Excellence at the College of DuPage, the West Suburban Philanthropic Network, and the DuPage Association for Volunteer Administration. In 2010, they chaired the Non-Profit Network of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, and from 2010 until 2013, they chaired the Volunteer Centers of Illinois.
They encourage everyone to check out their volunteer portal, to search for volunteer opportunities in an area that interests them.
Spotlight welcomed Paul Feith, Board Vice President of Giving DuPage.
