Philanthropy

The 2019 GCI Suicide Prevention Fund, administered by the Alaska Community Foundation, will distribute over $100,000 to nine recipient organizations this year, funding suicide prevention programs across Alaska.

Every homeless youth has the right to a home, food, guidance, education and to be loved.

The summer months are a perfect time to check with donors to get feedback on your nonprofit or organization’s performance. Online surveys are the way to go, and they do more than just collect data.

Pick.Click.Give, Alaska’s leading charitable-giving campaign, allows Alaskans to donate a portion of their Permanent Fund Dividend to nonprofit organizations.

Each year, the American Cancer Society’s Associate Board of Ambassadors (ABOA) comes together to host Taps & Apps, an annual fundraising event in Anchorage. This year’s Taps & Apps event will be held at The Lakefront Anchorage on Saturday, April 13, with festivities beginning at 6 p.m.

The annual Alyeska Snow Classic puts the fun in fundraising while giving the community a chance to support Four Valleys Community School. To participate, just purchase some raffle tickets, and guess the amount of snow accumulation on the 1,096-foot peak of Mount Alyeska to the nearest one-hundredth of a foot.

The Alaska Community Foundation recently announced that it has raised $100 million that will be used to benefit Alaska nonprofits now and for generations to come.

Pick.Click.Give allows Alaskans to donate a portion of their Permanent Fund Dividend to causes and organizations they care about statewide.

Celebrate National Soup Month this January by giving back. Over the past 30 years, more than 25,000 youths have come to Covenant House Alaska for help. Serving about 20 gallons of soup daily, Covenant House Alaska needs a lot of it to feed these hungry kids!

More than 1,000 people braved the ice-cold Goose Lake water for the Tenth Annual Polar Plunge in Anchorage last month.

In recognition of his extraordinary efforts to support Alaska’s nonprofit community, the Alaska Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals has named GCI Senior Vice President of Consumer Services Paul Landes as the organization’s 2018 Outstanding Philanthropist.

To many, the holiday season is a time for celebration, reflection and family. It’s also a time to lend a helping hand to our neighbors. GCI is joining forces with Salvation Army Alaska this month to help further its mission to provide a broad array of social services to Alaskans who need a little help. This month, GCI will make a donation to Salvation Army Alaska for each new GCI TV, internet or wireless service subscription.

GCI, Special Olympics Alaska and the Alaska Community Foundation announced a successful fundraising effort to jump-start an endowment in honor of Jim Balamaci, the late president and CEO of Special Olympics Alaska. The initial $1 million goal ultimately resulted in $2 million being pledged.

With so many great organizations to support, how do you pick just one and still make a lasting impact? There are a few things to consider before writing that check or volunteering.

Plan on giving back this holiday season? There’s an app for that:

One hundred thousand Alaskans – nearly one in seven – struggle from hunger, and that face of hunger is everywhere. The faces of children, the elderly, veterans and those still serving in the military. Anyone can suffer from hunger, but thankfully Food Bank of Alaska is working tirelessly to help Alaskan families in need.

Each year, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is celebrated in October. Whether you are a breast cancer survivor or are going through treatment, the American Cancer Society is always there to support you.

This month, the GCI Women’s Network partnered with Habitat for Humanity Anchorage and members of the Wells Fargo Women’s Team Member Network to build a duplex on Anchorage’s east side. Volunteers did construction work, ranging from trimming boards to raising walls, to help provide safe, affordable housing to families in need.

With one of the highest rates in America, too many Alaskans are personally affected by suicide. In 2017, GCI launched its Suicide Prevention Grant Program to combat the issue. The results were so successful that GCI extended funding for 2018.

Every homeless youth deserves a home, food, guidance, an education and the right to be loved. Covenant House Alaska offers support to homeless youth in their journey to become healthy, self-sufficient members of our community.

Alaskans are increasingly feeling the effects of diabetes. Over 59,000 Alaskans are currently affected, and an additional 194,000 Alaskans are pre-diabetic. If present trends continue, it is estimated that one-in-three Americans will be affected by 2050.

The new year in Anchorage started off with a big effort to remember Dale Tran, a community leader who passed away unexpectedly in 2017.