The Center for Healthy Families launched in 2007 and provides a place for pregnant teenagers and parent teenagers to turn for resources. The nonprofit gives them a place they can stay for up to two years along with dedicated “resource advocates” who assist them in ways similar to a life coach.
“We help deliver healthy babies, delay subsequent pregnancies until they can be better prepared, help develop healthy relationships, and assist with achieving high school graduation,” explained President and CEO Toshia Safford. “The work of The Center is transformational for the entire community because it enhance the lives of those who have been marginalized.”
The organization has helped over 600 families to date, and Safford wants to continue that work with the help of The Big Give, a 24-hour online giving campaign hosted by The Columbus Foundation, which returns for a third time between 10am on Tuesday, May 12th and 10am on Tuesday May 13th. Donors can choose from over 630 local nonprofits to donate to, and donations are amplified with a bonus pool of funding. Nearly $20 million has already been raised by The Big Give in 2011 and 2013.
“The Big Give is transformational, which aligns with the work of The Center… transforming lives is what we do,” said Safford. “When we think about philanthropy, we should think about it in more than just dollars and cents. This rally of support is important to the agencies and the people they serve.”
Beyond the donations, Safford said that events like The Big Give bring awareness to organizations like hers, which she describes as having a “butterfly effect”. It creates an opportunity for someone new to learn about the work of some of the smaller or newer nonprofits in Central Ohio, allowing them to get involved in immediate way first, but also creating a relationship that can blossom into something more long-term that could include more hands-on involvement.
“This is an absolutely amazing opportunity for anyone to be a philanthropist,” said Safford. “It is an opportunity no matter what socioeconomic sphere you’re in, and no matter what you’re interested in… arts, culture, human services… we all have an opportunity to come together.”
All Central Ohioans are invited to support their favorite charities and causes during The Big Give. Online donations to over 630 local nonprofit organizations can be made between 10am on Tuesday May 12th and 10am on Tuesday May 13th. All individual contributions will be amplified by a $1.3 million bonus pool assigned on a pro rata basis.
For more information, visit www.columbusfoundation.org.