It’s October, and for the folks at Adirondack Trust Company’s Community Fund (ATCCF), that means it’s time to get down to business to raise up the community.
Last week, the organization, the charitable arm of Adirondack Trust Company (ATC), launched its Autumn of Giving, an annual match campaign with several moving parts that’s well worth knowing about for anyone looking to make a difference in Saratoga County and beyond.
Established in 2009, ATCCF is a perpetual source of philanthropic support for area nonprofits—everything from human service and youth development charities to organizations that support the arts and other cultural groups. A 501(c)(3), it’s one of the only nonprofits in the area that is able to receive Donor-Advised Funds. For the uninitiated, a Donor-Advised Fund is a charitable giving vehicle that allows donors to put money in, get an immediate tax deduction, and then advise how the money is distributed later, giving the donor the ability to give to multiple charities with a single tax-deductible donation.
While donors can contribute to Donor-Advised Funds through ATCCF all year long, October is when their contribution means the most: Donations made this month will be matched by ATC. The money raised in October will support ATCCF’s Lend-A-Hand grant program, which gives grants to dozens of nonprofits in Saratoga, Warren, and Washington Counties. Last year, nearly 50 organizations benefitted from the Lend-A-Hand grant program; this year, ATCCF received 82 grant applications. (The funds matched by ATC will go towards ATCCF’s General Fund, which is specifically earmarked to support local nonprofits.)
There are several ways to give:
- By donating directly at any ATC branch or at atccf.org during the month of October
- By visiting one of the organization’s local business partners
- By purchasing tickets to ATCCF’s annual fundraiser
The first option’s easy—you know what to do. The second and third options needs some explaining.
This month, ATCCF has teamed up with several Saratoga County businesses to run promos that will raise money for the Lend-A-Hand grant program. For example, if you opt to round up your purchase at Northshire Bookstore during the month of October, that money will go directly to ATCCF, and if you buy a cup of coffee from The Country Corner Cafe on a Thursday in October, $1 will be donated to ATCCF. See a full list of participating businesses here.
Then there’s the party. An Evening of Autumn Giving returns to the Canfield Casino on Tuesday, October 21 from 6-8pm. Tickets are $50 and include complimentary valet service, hors d’oeuvres by Wandering Food Dude, cash bar, and speakers from past grant recipients.
In November, ATCCF will tally up the total funds raised and matched, and select which of the 82 nonprofits the Lend-A-Hand grant program will be able to support. Hopefully, it’ll be all of them.
