Online Minnesota givers today are participating in a one-day event called Give to the Max Day 2010. Last year more than 36,000 used this online vehicle to support their favorite nonprofits.

The website is www.givemn.org. People can support organizations from all over the state. As of this morning, the North American Bear Center had the greatest number of donors.

The Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation is among the organizations available for donors. It has urged people to help to capture the $10,000 match available through its Investors Club, a giving club designed to build partnerships with individual givers. The match was generously donated by Neil & Sue Eckles of Blue Earth.

For $100, supporters can become an Investors Club member and help support Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation’s efforts to build a strong economy within the 20-county region.

Also, throughout the day, an individual donor will be randomly chosen every hour to have $1,000 given to the charity that received the donor’s original donation.

As a sample, a search of www.givemn.org for “Albert Lea” revealed these foundations participating in www.givemn.org (among many others): Naeve Health Care Foundation, Albert Lea Medical Center, Albert Lea Public Education Foundation, Albert Lea Family Y, Albert Lea Art Center, Friends of the Albert Lea Public Library, Albert Lea Amateur Hockey Association, Albert Audubon Society, Albert Lea AIDS Services, Albert Lea Youth Soccer Association, Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber Foundation, Destination Albert Lea, St. John’s Lutheran Home.

The search reveals far too many to be printed here, but that was a sample of what can be found at the website.