West Central Illinois Gives (WCIL Gives), sponsored by the Tracy Family Foundation (TFF), is returning for its second year, inviting the community to come together in support of local nonprofits, churches, and schools serving west central Illinois, and nine McDonough County organizations will be taking part.
The four-day online giving event begins at 8 a.m., Monday, June 8 and continues through 11:59 p.m., Thursday, June 11.
During the event, donors can visit wcilgives.org to give to their favorite participating causes. McDonough County organizations participating in the 2026 event include Big Brothers Big Sisters of McDonough County, Colchester District Library, Faith Market Food Pantry, Genesis Garden, St. Paul School, The Giving Gardens, Western Illinois Regional Council Community Action Agency, Western Illinois University Food Pantry and Youth for Christ Western Illinois.
WCIL Gives was launched by the Tracy Family Foundation in 2025 and raised more than $160,000 from nearly 1,500 donors during its inaugural year. This year, 81 organizations have registered to participate. Participating organizations represent a wide range of focus areas, including arts and culture, education, health and social services which reflect the diverse needs of west central Illinois.
“WCIL Gives offers a simple and engaging way for donors to discover and support causes they care about,” says Callie Niederhauser, program manager at the Tracy Family Foundation.
“These four days highlight the power of collaboration and remind us that when we come together to support local organizations, generosity can drive real and lasting change.”
The Tracy Family Foundation’s sponsorship of the event ensures that 100 percent of the donations made during WCIL Gives go directly to the participating organizations. In addition to what organizations can raise through donations, the event also features $55,750 in prize grants, which create opportunities for friendly competition and added excitement throughout the giving period. This year’s prize pool has doubled thanks to new prize sponsors and community partners: the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri, the J.W. Gardner II Foundation and the Moorman Foundation.
“WCIL Gives is about more than fundraising,” says Dan Teefey, president of the Tracy Family Foundation. “It is a community-wide effort to uplift the organizations that do vital work across our region. By working together, we are helping these organizations continue to serve and strengthen west central Illinois.”
