The Giving Back Fund to Present Ninth Annual Big Game Big Give Event in Minnesota on February 3

The Giving Back Fund (GBF) announced that it will hold its ninth annual Big Game Big Give fundraising event at the home of Angie and Tom Wicka in Edina, Minnesota on February 3, 2018. The event expects to raise more than $1M for local and national charities, and will be hosted by award-winning actor, singer, songwriter and comedian, Jamie Foxx. There will also be a special appearance by 2016 Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, Shaquille O’Neal, also known as DJ Diesel.

“We strongly believe in the power of celebrity and influence to make a positive difference in our world, and we’re honored to work alongside so many amazing individuals that look to us to help them do right the right way,” said Marc Pollick, founder and CEO of The Giving Back Fund. “Big Game Big Give is our major annual fundraiser and we’re proud that 100 percent of net dollars raised at the event will go directly to support the mission of so many worthy nonprofits.”

Jamie Foxx is hosting the star-studded charity event because, like The Giving Back Fund, he believes in helping the less fortunate and is a champion of charitable giving.

“The purpose of this event aligns closely with my personal passion for the positive impact of giving back,” said Foxx. “Effecting change in our communities and improving the lives of those in need is something that I think we can all get behind, so it was an easy decision for me when I was asked to host this meaningful event.”

Attendees will have 100 opportunities to donate to local, Minnesota-based charities through The Giving Back Experience. Each local organization represented will benefit from the generosity of those in attendance who may not have otherwise been familiar with these worthy charities.

Guests will also participate in a one-of-a-kind live auction, with all proceeds benefiting The Giving Back Fund and other philanthropic organizations. Bidders will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bid on the first in the world 2019 Aston Martin Vantage sports car, as well as several luxury experiences, among other auction items.

Half of all event proceeds raised will benefit The Giving Back Fund’s ‘Fund for the Promotion of Philanthropy’, that invests in new and innovative nonprofits that make a difference. The other 50 percent will be distributed to local charities, the celebrity host’s philanthropy of choice, and to the Nash Avery Foundation, founded by Angie and Tom Wicka, which focuses on treatment and research for curing Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

During the event, Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback and philanthropist, Carson Wentz, will receive The Giving Back Fund Humanitarian Award for his dedication to philanthropy and commitment to the community. The Carson Wentz AO1 (Audience of One) Foundation was created in 2017 at The Giving Back Fund with the mission to ‘demonstrate the love of God by providing opportunities and support for the less fortunate and those in need.’

The AO1 Foundation focuses on three main objectives that reflect some of Wentz’s deepest passions in life – his faith, his enthusiasm for the outdoors and his avid love for dogs. He also supports a sports and education project in Haiti, and partners with organizations that focus on assisting veterans and children with illnesses. In honor of his philanthropic efforts, Wentz will receive a one-of-a-kind art masterpiece by renowned American artist, Michael Kalish.

"I am extremely honored to receive the Giving Back Fund Humanitarian Award for 2017,” said Wentz. “After I was drafted in 2016, I always knew I wanted to start a foundation and give back to those in need. The reach of the AO1 Foundation in just its first year has surpassed my wildest imagination. I'm so grateful for this award and can't wait to see how I and the AO1 Foundation are able to help more individuals and communities in the future."

Event entertainment will include music from DJ Sye Young.

The 2018 Big Game Big Give fundraising event is sponsored by Aston Martin Minneapolis, Love Your Melon, Citi Private Bank, Tito’s Vodka, McDermott Will & Emery, Life Time, The Star Tribune and USA Today, among others.

To stay up-to-date on event news, connect with The Giving Back Fund on social media:

• Twitter - @givingbackfund
• Instagram - givingbackfund
• Facebook - The Giving Back Fund

About The Giving Back Fund
The Giving Back Fund (GBF) is a national nonprofit organization that encourages and facilitates charitable giving by professional athletes, celebrities, high net worth individuals, existing nonprofit organizations, corporations and others who truly desire to give back. We provide philanthropic consulting, management and administrative services while operating as a flexible, convenient vehicle for establishing individual foundations and fiscally sponsored projects under a governance structure like that of a community foundation. By offering a straightforward and cost-effective approach to philanthropy, high-level expertise and professional services, and carefully targeted giving opportunities, GBF helps those who want to give back to society and to the communities that have nurtured them. http://www.givingback.org/

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