Shop for a Cause contributions on the rise

From birthday candles to children’s school supplies to groceries for dinner, Americans make – on average – 2 shopping trips each week. When you Shop for a Cause at the same time, you’re not only putting food on your table – you’re helping YWCA Dayton’s shopping list stretch farther, too.“Every day, we rely on the generosity of our community to ensure that our programs and services have the support they need to thrive, so that we can ensure women and families in the Miami Valley have the support they need to thrive,” explained Marshall Weil, director of development and corporate giving. “By making YW your charity of choice with a give-back program, you shop the same, but your everyday purchases mean safety and stability for those fleeing violence.”One of the most important aspects of shop-for-a-cause dollars is that they are unrestricted; that is, they can support any YWCA Dayton program or be put toward the greatest need at that time. With unexpected challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, having these types of funds available is critical.“Unrestricted dollars allow YW to breathe, grow, and get down to business. They help us stay agile to both the needs that we know, and the ones that we can’t anticipate,” Weil said.Currently, you can choose YW as your charity beneficiary through the Dorothy Lane Market Good Neighbor Program, Kroger Community Rewards and Amazon Smile, which has seen a stark increase in contributions in the last year. From 2019 to 2020, YWCA Dayton received twice as much in Amazon Smile dollars. In fact, funds received from the last quarter of 2020 alone were almost the same as total funds received in each of the three years prior. Since enrolling in the program in 2015, YWCA Dayton has received nearly $1,000 from community efforts. To sign up for one or more of these programs, click HERE.“Starting in June, shoppers could turn on the Amazon Smile function on their mobile device, so any purchases made through the Amazon app were able to count toward YWCA Dayton. This made a big difference, and makes the process even easier for our supporters,” Weil said.New partners continue to be added, too. Thanks to online pet store Chewy, each qualified purchase made after clicking a banner on YWCA Dayton’s website results in $20 donated to YW.“We first got connected to the Chewy.com Shelter and Rescue Referral Program through their sponsorship of our 2019 Purple Paws: Preble Pets Against Domestic Violence event,” said Courtney Griffith, director of rural strategy. “It is a great way for people to easily shop for their pet supplies online, while supporting Preble County’s only domestic violence shelter at the same time.”Griffith has supported several charities, including YWCA Dayton, through shop for a cause programs.“Multitasking is part of my everyday, and I love that I can set it and forget it,” she said. “It might feel like a really small impact, but I know that if there are 100 of us individually, together our impact is significant, and that means more people in my community have access to life-saving services, which benefits us all.”