CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — (CLARKSVILLENOW) A record number of area nonprofits are busy preparing in a big way for The Big Payback’s sixth annual, 24-hour online giving day.

The Big Payback is a community-wide online giving day designed to give the public the opportunity to pay back the nonprofits that make this a place we are proud to call home. Starting at midnight on May 2, there is 24 hours to make donations to a wide swath of participating local nonprofits at TheBigPayback.org.

Categories include human services, education, community improvement, arts and culture, youth development, animal welfare, health, housing and shelter, and the environment.

UPDATE: The Big Payback Party scheduled for the Downtown Commons has been canceled due to inclement weather. The community still has an opportunity to donate to any of the participating organizations online.

Participating nonprofits from Montgomery County include:

— Cats Are Us
— Clarksville-Montgomery County Senior Citizens Association
— United Methodist Urban Ministries
— Clarksville Montgomery County Arts and Heritage Development Council
— Clarksville Montgomery Co. Adult Literacy Council
— Clarksville-Montgomery County Education Foundation
– Clarksville 50+ Activity Center
— Community Foundation of Clarksville/Montgomery County
— The Clarksville-Montgomery County Historical Museum
— Fort Campbell Historical Foundation, Inc.
— Gateway Chamber Orchestra
— Leadership Clarksville
— Loaves and Fishes
— Manna Cafe Ministries
— Progressive Directions, Inc.
— Roxy Productions, Inc.
— Soldiers and Families Embraced Inc. (SAFE)
— Screaming Eagle Honor Flight
— Veterans Transitional Housing Program
— YAIpak Outreach

In its first five events, The Big Payback has helped organizations raise more than $12.5 million in donations as well as foster an impressive 24,716 first-time gifts, making possible awareness of and solutions to pressing needs in our community.

Last year’s event raised a record of more than $3.1 million in donations, from 22,071 total gifts.

“The Big Payback’s slogan is ‘Live Here. Give Here’ and provides an easy and fun way for our community to show our local pride and give back,” said Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

“Nonprofits do life-changing work every day across Middle Tennessee, and it’s important we recognize the positive impact they have in our own backyards by supporting their efforts,” Lehman said. “It’s hard to imagine where we’d be without them and their work.”

Gifts to nonprofits from the public will be boosted with additional financial prizes from sponsors of The Big Payback, and an online leaderboard will track donations in real time. Donors will be able to search and select organizations and make gifts of any size with ease, from $10 and up.

The Community Foundation exists to promote and facilitate giving in the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee and beyond. It does this by accepting gifts of any size from anyone at any time and by empowering individuals, families, companies, nonprofits, and communities to respond to needs and opportunities that matter. The Community Foundation works with people who have great hearts, whether or not they have great wealth, to craft solutions that reflect their intentions and goals. For more information, call 615-321-4939 or visit www.cfmt.org.