NCC plans 24-hour gift-giving push

A gift to Norwalk Community College could turn into a $25,000 prize, all in the name of help for students in need and other charities.

The Norwalk Community College Foundation will participate in Fairfield County Giving Day March 7, billed as “an initiative to increase charitable giving throughout Fairfield County through a targeted 24-hour period of online fundraising.”

Event sponsors include the foundation and Bank of America. The in-county goal is to raise $1 million to benefit hundreds of local nonprofits over a 24-hour period, from midnight March 7 through 11:59 p.m. The website to donate is FCGives.org.

One beneficiary, the NCC Student Emergency Fund, will provide resources to students experiencing urgent or unforeseen difficulties.

Giving Day contributions to NCC also will make the college eligible for challenge awards as high as $25,000. Number of donors vs. amount of money is key. The target for individual gifts is $10.

Among its missions, the NCC Foundation awards nearly $1 million in scholarships every year; raises funds for program support, capital improvements, and faculty development; and works with major corporations and local organizations to provide internship and career opportunities for students.