OceanFirst Charity Challenge Helps Chase the Elephant

For charitable organizations fundraising can be the elephant in the room. It’s often the difference between thriving and surviving and without it they can’t provide badly-needed services and assistance for everything from feeding the hungry, educational and training programs, mentoring assistance, promoting the arts and sheltering animals.

The OceanFirst Foundation has a long history of helping community organizations and not just in the form of grants, which they are very good at. They know that in these troubled times you often have to be creative in your fundraising efforts which is why their second Charity Challenge is now underway.

Starting last week and through May 15th organizations who provide service in Ocean, Monmouth and Monroe Township (Middlesex County) compete in a unique fundraising competition to raise the most money they can. Through the challenge they are not only generating donations but getting additional exposure and learning how to successfully fundraise in today’s competitive market.

On top of that the OceanFirst Foundation will award a $15,000 grant to the charity who raises the most money between now and May 15th. Second place gets $5,000 and $2,000 for third place with all kinds of additional bonuses along the way. Of course they also get the money raised during this period.

Last year in the inaugural charity challenge a total of 68 organizations raised more than $303,000 with Seer Farms, Count Basie Theatre and Brick Children’s Community Theatre grabbing the top three spots and bonus grants. 77 participating charities are signed up for this year and are now busy fundraising and organizations actually have until April 30th to get started. If you are interested then call the OceanFirst Bank Foundation at (732) 341-4676.

As of this morning the participating organizations had raised more than $67,000 in the first six days of the challenge. For more visit crowdrise.com/oceanfirstcharitychallenge.