Delco Gives kicks off second annual charitable-giving marathon with community tailgates

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Delaware County’s largest day of charitable giving has returned.

The second annual marathon of nonprofit fundraising, called Delco Gives, began Thursday morning with a series of community tailgates.

Volunteers with the Foundation for Delaware County and participating nonprofits waved down cars passing by Lancaster Farmers Market in Wayne, encouraging commuters to donate online to the more than 300 nonprofits serving the region.

“We’re really living through some uncertain times and folks are looking for opportunities to give back locally where they know they can make a difference in their own backyard,” said Frances Sheehan, president of the Foundation for Delaware County.

Crozer Health, Delaware County’s largest health system, is closed. Nearby communities are unsettled over the sudden loss of federal funding. Delaware County Councilmember Elaine Schaefer said Delco Gives helps people “recognize the unbelievable importance” of supporting nonprofits.

“It brings attention and it brings education to all of our community members to these groups who are working so hard with so little in terms of resources to make all of our lives better,” Schaefer said.

Similar organized donation drives in Lancaster and York counties inspired the foundation to establish Delco Gives. During the inaugural Delco Gives in 2024, the community raised more than $1.7 million for approximately 280 nonprofits.

Friday evening’s closing celebration at Rose Tree Park in Media begins at 5:30 p.m.

“We’ve got over 150 nonprofits that’ll be sharing information about their work, but it’s also an opportunity to celebrate with your family,” Sheehan said. “We’ve got beer. We’ve got all sorts of activities for children. It’s really a chance to celebrate our nonprofit community — and an opportunity to give back and be generous right here in Delaware County.”

A community tailgate at Delaware County Veterans Memorial doubled as an awards ceremony for Richard Prebil, a supervising attorney with Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania. State Sen. Tim Kearney, D-Delaware, recognized Prebil with a citation from Pennsylvania’s upper legislative chamber, recognizing his work on the Veterans Advocacy Project.

Since 2020, the initiative has helped about 200 local veterans, many of whom are unhoused or at-risk, access more than $4 million in benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“​​We’ve really had a unique opportunity to help individuals get increases in income, access housing, access income to stabilized housing and be able to move on to whatever the next part of their path is,” Prebil said.

Delco Gives presents a unique opportunity to fundraise, Prebil said, while also serving as a community-building exercise that had been vital in connecting many of the nonprofits working towards shared goals.

Editor’s note: The Foundation for Delaware County provides support for WHYY. WHYY News produces independent, fact-based news content for audiences in Greater Philadelphia, Delaware and South Jersey.