For 24 hours, it will be easy to make a difference in the York community. Give Local York (GLY), a 24-hour giving spree presented by Giant Food Stores, will run on Friday, May 7, from midnight to 11:59 p.m. For the fourth year in a row, 300 nonprofits whose work benefits York County are participating.

In addition to supporting a particular nonprofit, participants will have the option of donating to two COVID-specific funds, said Meagan Given, executive director of the White Rose Leadership Institute, who oversees the fundraiser. "Our COVID-19 Community Fund is a way for people to really support all of the nonprofits," Given explained. "Money raised through that fund will be shared evenly by participating nonprofits ... Many have been hit really hard this past year."

The other COVID-specific fund option is the York City Independent Restaurant Association. "Everyone is aware that the hospitality industry was hit very hard this past year also," Given noted. "(The association) is comprised of restaurants located in York city who do events together such as Restaurant Week. This fund is another way to make sure the restaurants we love can stick around."

Last year, Give Local York had to pivot to a livestreamed format, and the switch was so successful, organizers decided to include it again this year, Given said. GLY Live will be presented by York Traditions Bank and will showcase total dollars raised, top participating organizations, leaderboard updates and more. GLY Live will go live at the top of every hour from midnight to 2 a.m. and then again from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on May 7.

Volunteers and staff members of participating nonprofits will be invited to a Give Local York Showcase to be held at the York Revolution's PeoplesBank Park, Given said. "In the past, we've held Give Local York during First Friday in York, and we did a street fair, but we are not quite ready to resume that just yet, so this is a way we can control attendance and host a smaller-scale event," she stated. "The public will still be able to see what's going on through our livestream from 7 to 9 p.m., and we'll have nonprofits doing presentations and demonstrations." The Showcase will conclude with an in-park fireworks show at 9 p.m. that will also be livestreamed, followed by a livestreamed concert from 9 to 11:55 p.m., before the grand total of the fundraiser is revealed at midnight on Saturday, May 8.

The goal for the event is for 13,500 donors to make a gift, Given said, noting that since its founding, GLY has raised more than $8 million for local nonprofits from more than 15,000 donors. "We have so many nonprofits here in York County who are doing amazing work, from food insecurity to animals, veterans' services, early childhood education," she emphasized. "Anything you are passionate about, there is a nonprofit out there working hard to support the cause. And even if you may not have directly benefited from an organization, you know someone who has, either a family member or a friend or someone else in the community. We want to shine a light on these organizations and remind everyone that this is what makes our community great."

For more information on Give Local York or to give on May 7, visit http://www.givelocalyork.org.