On December 1, the Foundation of Wayne Community College is hoping donors will keep their generosity local.
The Foundation is participating in Giving Tuesday, the global celebration of unity, kindness, and generosity, in a big way this year. It has set a goal of raising $20,000 for its student enhancement fund.
The fund provides for college needs such as faculty mini grants, departmental upgrades, supplies for camps and clubs, and other necessities.
“People are proud of this college and want to support it,” said Diane Belmont, the Foundation’s resource development and data management coordinator. “We are asking people to be a hero to a WCC student.”
Reasons to support the campaign are illustrated in a series of videos highlighting college programs and the Foundation’s role in them, as well as the stories of employees, students, and graduates. Those videos can be found on the college’s and Foundation’s social media platforms.
In fact, one of the ways that individuals can support the campaign is by being a “Community Hero” and spreading awareness of it by sharing the informational posts, challenging friends and family to give, and setting up Facebook fundraisers.
Matching pledge donors and sponsors are also being sought prior to Giving Tuesday. Among the sponsors that have already signed on are Panera Bread and Jackie Houser Attorney at Law.
Donations can be made online at www.waynecc.edu/givingtuesday, at the college, and into jars in businesses throughout the county. “We want to make it easy,” Belmont said of the options.
The WCC student who has the most money donated online in his or her name by the end of the day on Dec. 1 will win a $1,000 Spring 2021scholarship. Details about the competition are available at the Foundation’s Giving Tuesday website.
From 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Giving Tuesday, volunteers will be taking donations in the Student Lounge in the Wayne Learning Center on the college’s campus at 3000 Wayne Memorial Drive in Goldsboro. Foundation personnel will be livestreaming from that location and photos of supporters will be posted throughout the day, spotlighting milestones, matching contributions, and donors.
Each $2,000 increment on the way to the goal will be marked with a live pie to someone’s face. If the target is met, College President Thomas Walker Jr. will be the final pie recipient.
The jars were distributed mid-November and will be collected at 4 p.m. on Dec. 1. The jars’ total will be announced live. Belmont encouraged those who drop money into a donation jar to post on social media and tag their location.
The jars have been placed
in Goldsboro: Casey Garden Center on US Highway 70 West, Downtown Escapes on Walnut Street, Go Go Berries on Corporate Drive, Heritage Farms General Store on Arrington Bridge Road, The Laughing Owl on Center Street, PT’s Grille on Wayne Memorial Drive, and Wayne County Chamber of Commerce on William Street;
in Mount Olive: Jones True Value Hardware on Breazeale Avenue and R&R Brewing on Center Street; and in Pikeville: John’s Pizza on Goldsboro Street.
“If only 20 percent of Wayne County residents gave a dollar each, we would easily reach our goal,” Belmont said. “It is a lot of small donations that make the difference.”
About the Foundation
The Foundation of Wayne Community College is a nonprofit organization established to support the students, faculty, staff and programs of Wayne Community College. The purpose of the Foundation is to broaden the base of community support in order to promote the educational development of Wayne Community College. In addition to raising and dispersing funds for scholarships, the Foundation provides funding for innovative campus projects and employee recognition, and offers cultural programs for the community. Its mission is
About Wayne Community College
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves 11,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 140 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.
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