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The 12th Man

Bryce Wilkinson, Senior Online Giving Specialist
The crowd could sense the opportunity, and they rose to their feet to chant and clap in unison. The 11 players out on the pitch heard their supporters and felt the energy, the power. That boost sent them forward, and soon the ball was in the back of the net, triggering deafening celebration. The crowd, the 12th man, had done their part in the stadium.

Dick's Sporting Goods Park is home to the Colorado Rapids soccer team.
Before I started attending soccer matches, I was skeptical of this notion of the 12th man. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, it is the idea that the crowd, through its support and energy, can act as another player on the pitch – a 12th man – for the team.

Since becoming a supporter, I’ve witnessed the role the crowd plays and they can truly be a deciding factor. The 12th man is more critical than the term might imply. Without them, the stadium, no matter how nice, is dull and empty. Without them, the players' efforts are diminished. Without them, there is no community, no energy, no power.

Community First Foundation built ColoradoGives.org 10 years ago, and it has become our state’s stadium of giving. A place where the community gathers to support their hometown nonprofits: those organizations out on the figurative pitch working hard to defend, attack, assist and score every day. But the site and nonprofits are nothing without you, our beloved 12th man.

We are celebrating 10 years of powering people like you who rally to support their favorite causes at ColoradoGives.org. Like any great fan base, your support is multifaceted: you amplify generosity with Giving eCards, you set up recurring donations, you start fundraising pages and you join the Colorado Gives Day movement.

 Whatever the method, you power these nonprofits on as the 12th man. You cheer and chant. You expend and encourage. You smile and cry. Deep down you know every little bit helps; every voice, every hand. We can do it. We will do it. Together. And we celebrate, together.

Thank you for 10 great years of powering generosity in Colorado.


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