Building a BET T E R

Mark your calendar. Sacramento’s 11th annual Big Day of Giving is around the corner. May 4 to be exact. It’s our communal moment to help build a better Sacramento.

Last year, Sacramentans donated $13 million to local charities. This year (a tough one financially for families and charities alike), coordinators at Sacramento Region Community Foundation say they sense people will top that amount.

“We don’t have Fortune 500 companies here,” director Kerry Wood says, “so the majority of our giving comes from individuals. Sacramentans have been generous. We are a community that cares about helping others and forging a brighter future for all.”

The community foundation was launched 40 years ago to inspire philanthropy year-round in Sacramento. Big Day of Giving, though, is the spotlight moment, the only day, in fact, that many small local charities formally ask for donations.

Your options for giving are many. Some 700 charities with needs are listed on the foundation’s website. To give you a sense, here’s a look at a few of them, and what’s on their wish lists this year.

BY TONY BIZJAK

The BIG DAY OF GIVING on May 4 is your chance to put your stamp on the region’s future.