VALDOSTA – A marketing director has discovered a way to assist suffering nonprofits and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Anne Shenton of Ascend Inbound Marketing has organized the South Georgia Collective, a virtual fundraiser for agencies within the community.

Coworkers Steven Carter and Gretchen Elliott also helped create the fundraiser, Shenton said.

“I created the South Georgia Collective because I wanted a way to help local nonprofits raise money during this difficult time,” she said. “Since so many nonprofits rely on event-based fundraisers, the pandemic has severely impacted them as they’re no longer able to hold these events. Many also serve the most vulnerable in our society who are facing unemployment, hunger and homelessness.”

Shenton said restaurants and retailers are affected, as well.

The concept for the South Georgia Collective was established via video interviews published on Facebook.

Ascend normally utilizes the social media platform as a way to provide various marketing tips and strategies, but Shenton said the message changed once the pandemic hit Lowndes County.

“First, we started with a video with tips for working from home,” she said. “But then, as we saw our friends in the nonprofit and business community become impacted by the pandemic, we wanted to use our talents in any way that could help them.”

Shenton has interviewed Molly Ferrier, executive director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity, Randy DeCoudres of Manwell-DeCoudres Restaurant Group, Chris Shelton with Event Point, Rachel Thrasher and Ellen Hill with Valdosta Main Street and Angie Davis with Valdosta City Schools.

Ferrier expressed concern for Habitat’s ReStore and its ability to resume being a significant moneymaker in her video with Shenton posted March 20. Since the interview, she has closed the ReStore.

She also noted the organization receives no government funding and is operating with no current grants.

The exchange between Shenton and DeCoudres in his interview posted March 19 highlighted the importance of leaving tips for restaurant employees.

“We have people to support, people that depend on us,” he said in the video. “That paycheck is everything. That day-to-day cash tips that they might bring in is everything. That is why we’re still open to limited service to provide for them.”

Since his interview, DeCoudres’ restaurant, The Salty Snapper, has closed while his other two, Woodstack BBQ Tavern and Friends Grille and Bar, remain open only to curbside or delivery service.

Nonprofits such as Habitat and businesses like the Manwell-DeCoudres Restaurant Group can now benefit from an expansion of the South Georgia Collective.

A website, sgacollective.com, has been set up to gather monetary donations for nonprofits, sell gift cards for local businesses and run a T-shirt sale for the Greater Valdosta United Way.

Joy’s Boutique and Company, Home & Light Valdosta, Monkey Britches Boutique, Art and Soul and Cottonwood Market & Boutique are all listed as beneficiaries.

Nonprofits include Easterseals Southern Georgia, BridgeBuilder Education Foundation and Girls on the Run South Georgia, Jacobs’ Ladder Therapeutic Riding Center. 

Nonprofits that are 501c3 and have a PayPal account can register online for free to begin accepting donations. A “give card” is another way people can donate.

All proceeds from the United Way T-shirt sale will go to its partner agencies, Shenton said.

Feedback from agencies has been enthusiastic, Shenton said.

“I hope we can bring awareness to the struggles and hardships that people in our community are facing right now, but also (there’s) hope in that we are all in this together and we’re here to support each other,” she said.

With the uncertain timeline of COVID-19 pandemic, she said organizers are aiming to make it easy for organizations to get the necessary support.

“I hope and pray that things get back to normal very soon, but we can keep the collective going as long as we need to,” Shenton said. 

To donate to a nonprofit, visit sgacollective.com/collections/give-cards.