Roanoke Valley organizations celebrate huge day of online giving

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ROANOKE (WSLS)-- Nonprofits and charitable organizations all across the region spent Tuesday morning celebrating the success of the first ever Roanoke Valley Gives day.

The 24-hour online marathon raised $366,000 for the 125 organizations that took part in the day of giving. At a celebration banquet, the Roanoke Valley SPCA received an extra $10,000 grant for getting the most unique donors to pledge money, with 322 separate donations.

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"We were surprised to have support from as far away as California and Colorado," said Tim White with the RVSPCA. "It was a great way to use social media to rally them around our mission and try to raise as much money as we could."

A handful of other organizations received grants at the ceremony as well, including a $10,000 grant to the Roanoke Rescue Mission, for raising the most money overall.

"Out of all of the donations that we received, the big chunk of money came from the $10 donors to $99," says Carly Oliver, the associate director of the Foundation for Roanoke Valley. "That means that folks who many not normally feel like they get to give a lot of money get to feel good about themselves and feel good about the community. That's really where the bulk of the money came from."

The Foundation for Roanoke Valley is already making plans for Roanoke Valley Gives 2017.