A local giving movement is gearing up to make a big impact across Kern County, with a kickoff event happening Tuesday morning at the Padre Hotel.Starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 13, community leaders and nonprofits will gat her to officially kick off the giving season for Give Big Kern, Kern Countys annual day dedicated to supporting local organizations.Now in its 10th year, the event has grown to include more than 100 nonprofits, raising more than $1.7 million collectively last year alone.Teems Tulfo with the Kern Community Foundation said the giving season is already underway, leading up to the main event on May 5, when the community comes together for 24 hours of donations and volunteer efforts."They are the backbone of our community. They are the ones serving our residents. Especially in this day and age, we dont know how funding is going, and so this kind of support will continue those programs and let them carry out their mission," Tulfo said."Were asking everyone in our community to do what they already do best, and show up and give," Tulfo said.Organizers said the event makes it easy for people to support causes they care about and see exactly where their help is going.Andrea Hansen with KDA said nonprofits across Kern County, from arts programs to youth services and beyond, rely on this support to continue their work year-round. With dozens of organizations participating, leaders said every donation, big or small, helps strengthen the entire community."To be able to give back in various ways, not just through monetary donations but through volunteer service, it creates a sense of altruism in our community that isnt regularly found in most places," Hansen said."KDA is so excited to join hundreds of non-profits at Give Big Kern on May 5th. Make sure you show up in person or online, give your money, give your time, give your resources, and let's continue to make Kern County the best county in California," Hansen said.People who would like to donate or learn more can head to www.givebigkern.org and search for a cause that matters most to them.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere: Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube ...read more read less