Give Fest 2025: Get Ready to Give and Celebrate!

The Heartland Community Foundation is excited to host the 2nd annual Give Fest —
communitywide giving day — on October 10, 2025, in Ellis, Rooks, and Trego counties! Get ready to
experience a day filled with philanthropy, community spirit, and Oktoberfest-themed fun. With up
to 100% of donations matched by the Heartland Community Foundation, this is a powerful
opportunity to maximize your impact while supporting your favorite local nonprofits.

During the 24-hour giving period, all donations made to participating nonprofits will be matched
from a $150,000 match pool, with $50,000 designated for each county. These donations go directly
to the nonprofit's endowed fund at the Heartland Community Foundation, ensuring a stable
financial future for the organization, while the match dollars are available for immediate use,
providing vital, immediate support. To give even more people the chance to give, early-bird giving
begins online at midnight this Wednesday, Oct. 1, at www.HeartlandGiveFest.org and continues
through 11:59 p.m., Oct. 10.

With 58 participating organizations, there’s a cause that will speak to everyone’s unique charitable
passion. Whether your interests lie in education or healthcare, first responders or food insecurity,
and many more, there is a nonprofit that aligns with the causes that matter most to you.
Give Fest was created to mobilize the community to “give back” in a big way. Not only does the
event raise essential funds for nonprofits, but it also brings a playful Oktoberfest twist to the giving
season, celebrating the cultural heritage of the region. This is an opportunity to come together and
make a difference. In 2024, Give Fest raised over $240,000 in donations, and with $160,000 in
matching funds, more than $400,000 went directly to strengthen local nonprofits. This year, we’re
ready to build on that success together.

"Give Fest is one of my favorite days of the year because it shows the power of community," said
Sarah Meitner, Executive Director of the Heartland Community Foundation. "When neighbors come
together to give, the impact multiplies — not just through the matching dollars, but through the
spirit of generosity that carries forward long after the day is over."

This year's festivities will feature in-person events at the following locations from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.:
• Ellis County: Hays Rec Center Main Gym, 1105 Canterbury, Hays
• Rooks County: Rooks County Fairgrounds, 4-H Building, 918 S. Elm, Stockton
• Trego County: Trego County Fairgrounds, 13th and Russell, WaKeeney

Nonprofits will share information with visitors, and attendees can enjoy Oktoberfest food, drinks,
and entertainment while connecting with local organizations and learning more about the causes
they can support.

Returning this year, nonprofits will get to compete in a lively cornhole challenge for a chance to win
up to $400 in bonus match dollars for their organization. Attendees can also take part in the
Nonprofit Passport activity: visit nonprofit tables (8 in Ellis County, 6 in Rooks and Trego counties)
to be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card for yourself and $100 in bonus match dollars for your
favorite organization. Come cheer on your favorite nonprofits and join in the fun!

In a heartwarming effort to inspire the next generation of givers, Heartland Community Foundation
is proud to bring back the 5th Grade Give Bucks initiative. Every 5th grader in Ellis, Rooks, and Trego
counties will once again receive funds to donate to a local nonprofit of their choice. Thanks to the
generosity of sponsors, Ellis County students will each receive $15, while Rooks and Trego County
students will each receive $10. On October 10, students will visit the Give Fest events to meet
nonprofits throughout the day, learn about their missions, and choose where to donate their Give
Bucks. This initiative teaches young people firsthand the joy and power of philanthropy.

How to Give:

• Online: Donate at www.HeartlandGiveFest.org from midnight on October 1 through 11:59
  p.m. on October 10. Online gifts will be eligible for matching funds for a full week!
• In-Person: Drop off donations at the Give Fest events or the Heartland Community
  Foundation office, 1200 Main St., Hays, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on October 10.
• Mail: Send donations to Heartland Community Foundation, PO Box 1673, Hays, KS 67601.
  They must be received by October 10.
• Out-of-Town Donors: Send your gift directly to the nonprofit, and they will bring it to be
  counted. Checks should be made out to Heartland Community Foundation with the charity’s
  name in the memo, along with a donor form.

One of the most convenient features of Give Fest is that donors can make a single donation and
designate it to one or more participating nonprofits. Your donation is 100% tax-deductible, and you
can easily support multiple organizations at once with one simple gift.

To keep with all the Give Fest excitement, follow the Heartland Community Foundation on
Facebook or the social media pages of your favorite nonprofits! Many participating organizations
will mark Give Fest with their own events and fundraisers, so check in with them for updates on
how you can participate.

Participating Nonprofits Include:
Ellis County

• A Different Mindset Association
• Ag in the Classroom Fund (Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Serving Ellis County
• Cancer Council of Ellis County
• CASA of the High Plains
• Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas
• Catholic Tiger Mental Wellness Fund (Comeau Catholic Campus Center)
• Child Care of Ellis County
• Company 5 Firefighter Legacy Fund (Ellis County Fire Services)
• Developmental Services of NW Kansas
• Ellis High School Booster Club
• Ellis County Historical Society
• Ellis County Youth Action Council
• First Baptist Church of Hays
• First Call for Help
• Fort Hays Tech | North Central Foundation
• Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County
• Hays Area Children's Center
• Hays Arts Council
• Hays Community Theatre
• Hays High Athletics Hall of Fame
• HaysMed Foundation
• Hays Optimist Friends of Youth Fund
• Hays Public Library Foundation
• Hays Recreation Commission
• Hays Senior Center
• High Plains Mental Health Center Endowment
• Humane Society of the High Plains
• Jana's Campaign
• Kansas Health Foundation Heartland Community Fund
• K-State Extension Cottonwood District
• Leadership Hays
• Oktoberfest Hays (Volga German Centennial Association)
• Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services
• Play Hays Foundation
• St. Joseph Parish of Hays
• STEM Harvest
• The Bricks in Downtown Hays
• The Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays
• TMP-Marian School
• United Way of Ellis County
• USD 489 Foundation
• Victoria City Fire and ECFD Company 4
• Women Who Lead

Rooks County

• A Different Mindset Association
• Ag in the Classroom Fund (Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Serving Rooks County
• CASA of the High Plains
• Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas
• Damar Community Foundation
• Developmental Services of NW Kansas
• High Plains Mental Health Center Endowment
• Kansas Health Foundation Heartland Community Fund
• Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services
• Plainville Fire Family Legacy Fund
• Plainville Kids Wrestling Club
• Rooks County Healthcare Foundation
• Rooks County Historical Society
• Rooks County Youth Action Council
• Stockton Community Fund
• Stockton Recreation Commission
  
  Trego County
• A Different Mindset Association
• Ag in the Classroom Fund (Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Serving Trego County
• CASA of the High Plains
• Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas
• Developmental Services of NW Kansas
• High Plains Mental Health Center Endowment
• Kansas Health Foundation Heartland Community Fund
• Kelly Plaza
• Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services
• The Well — Center for Hope
• Trego County Enhancement Fund
• Trego County Historical Society
• Trego County-Lemke Memorial Hospital
• Trego County Youth Action Council