Donate to MCGives! for AWQ

WACMB is thrilled to be selected again for the annual MC – Gives campaign supporting local nonprofits in Monterey County. Our BIG IDEA this year continues our Youth Education Initiative, the Academic world Quest (AWQ) Program, a National contest with a fun, fast-paced team competition for high school students that tests participant knowledge of current international politics, geography, global economics, history and cultures.

The AWQ Program is sponsored by the World Affairs Council of America (WACA), our parent organization in Washington, D.C..Funds raised for our Monterey County high school competition will provide both cash awards for the three highest placed teams and an all-expense paid trip for the winning team
of 4 students and their Coach to compete in the National competition in Washington D.C. next April. Last year’s local winning team Monterey High School will be looking to repeat their success against other County high Schools.

Congratulations to last year’s team who advanced to the Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2023 Academic WorldQuest National Competition

Monterey County Gives!, aka MCGives!, is a fundraising program for nonprofit organizations in Monterey County that is run by the Community Foundation for Monterey County, the Monterey County Weekly, and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. Founded in 2009, MCGives! adds additional prorated funds to every dollar raised by a participating organization in support of its “Big Idea.”

Our “Big Idea” kicked off last year: WACMB brought Academic WorldQuest to Monterey County high schools. What, you ask, is Academic WorldQuest? It’s the flagship youth education program of the World Affairs Councils of America (which is the umbrella organization for the more than 90 World Affairs Councils across the United States). Structured as a fun, fast-paced team competition for high school students, Academic WorldQuest tests players’ knowledge of current international politics, geography, global economics, history, and world cultures. The program fits nicely with WACMB’s longtime support for local students who are interested in international affairs. WACMB will use funds raised through MCGives! to sponsor Monterey County’s second annual Academic World Quest competition, which will be held in February 2024. We will also pay to send Monterey County’s winning team to Washington, DC, to compete in the national championships in April 2024.

How can you support this Big Idea through MCGives!? There are three easy ways to to donate to the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area (WACMB) :

  1. By credit-card online.
  2. By check made payable to “Community Foundation of Monterey County (CFMC)”, indicating”to the benefit of the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area (WACMB)”. mail checks to CFMC, attn. MC-Gives !, 2354 Garden Road, Monterey, CA 93940.
  3. By an IRA Qualified Charitable Donation (QCD). Process information is available on the website.

Don’t delay! The program runs from November 9 through December 31. Also remember: the more we donate, the more our donations will generate additional funds. So be generous!