Pets top beneficiaries again in ‘Pick.Click.Give.’

MAT-SU — Even added together, the Mat-Su Food Bank and MY House — which netted a total of $38,600 through the annual charitable giving program — were no match for the Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue, which once again drew the most donors and lion’s share of the Valley’s donations to Pick.Click.Give.

The seven-year-old program saw 25 percent more Alaskans contribute to the program when they applied for their annual Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, and a 20-percent growth in total giving since last year. At the same time, the total number of Alaskans applying for the dividend dropped from 558,175 in 2014 to 552,260 in 2015, a decline of about 1 percent.

In the Valley, 46 nonprofits signed up for the program and received a total of $230,350 in donations. Statewide, 540 eligible organizations will split a record $3,329,575 this fall.

The donations the groups receive will be minus a 7-percent Pick.Click.Give. administration fee.

People have until Aug. 31 to donate. Everyone who donates is entered into the “Double Your Dividend Sweepstakes,” which will award a second dividend to 10 donors.

For more information, visit PickClickGive.org.