LEXINGTON, S.C. — Cancer of Many Colors is one of local nonprofits who are benefiting from the 2021 Midlands Gives event.
It's an annual day of giving where the Central Carolina Community Foundation helps raise money for local nonprofits.
One of the nonprofits participating this year is Cancer of Many Colors.
The nonprofit helps those battling cancer pay for things like rent or utility bills to help them catch a break.
Paulette Criscione is the founder of Cancer of Many Colors.
"Oh it's been going great, you know, we're excited to be a part of it. I know the rest of the charity they're excited to be a part of it too," said Criscione. "Our goal is $15,000. So we've got some time and a little bit left at 11:59 tonight."
On Monday night from 6 pm until 6:59 pm, the nonprofit are having what they call a power hour at the Old Mill Brew Pub to help raise money.
"It's always an excitement when people start to gather and to raise funds for a good cause," explained Criscione. "So I can say thank you to everybody that does support us, because it goes right back into the community."
The money donated to Cancer of Many Colors through Midlands Gives will be going towards their small gift program. This program is meant to help those who apply for support because they need help paying for basic living expenses.
"So, probably we've helped so far over 100 patients with basic living, and you don't think that that's maybe not a lot compared to maybe some, but it is when you are trying to pay for rent and utilities, card notes to get you back and forth to transportation to treatment and things," said Criscione.
The founder says her organization has been impacted by the pandemic. The main thing it has effected is the awareness side of things in other counties.
"Getting to the doctors and to the people, the oncology people who are the patients of these doctors and letting them know that we're here to support them," explained Criscione. "So that's been kind of crazy for us a little bit because most of the doctors, patients have been put a little bit on the back burner just because of the COVID, you can't get into them, you can't see them. They've got their plates full."
With the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Criscione believes donations in this year's Midlands Gives will be critical.
"I'm hoping that today it's going to be a good day for us and we depend on everybody," said Criscione. "We depend on the locals we depend because we are a small foundation. And those donations, those small donations to us, are so important."
"We want everybody to have a good time with this fundraiser and everybody to rally and to support everybody all the charities that really are participating. There are some new ones and so we understand that too, you know, they're trying to get started and they're trying to help others or they wouldn't be charities. So we all are an all in this together."
You can head to Midlands Gives' website in order to research and find nonprofits you would like to donate to.