Hawaii nonprofit groups, schools and school clubs are invited to join the “Festival of Giving” fundraisers at Ward Centers and Windward Mall this fall and keep 100 percent of the money they raise.

Nonprofits receive bundles of Festival of Giving tickets to sell to shoppers for $10 or $5 each. The nonprofits keep the money, and the shoppers use the tickets for discounts at participating stores during the November festivals.

Popular restaurant deals include a free drink or other item with the purchase of an entree, while retailers offer discounts or freebies with a purchase.

The shopping centers also will have entertainment and prize giveaways.

The Festival of Giving began at Ward Centers under a different name in partnership with the Junior League of Honolulu, said Diane Bruce, Ward Marketing Director.

It was renamed and opened up to all nonprofits after Chicago-based General Growth Properties bought Ward Centers and surrounding properties. It also was added to Windward Mall’s community outreach activities under General Growth’s management.

Both shopping venues are under different management now, but each is continuing the Festival of Giving.

Both centers are still enrolling organizations, and sales of the $10 Ward tickets have not yet begun. Tickets for the Windward Mall Festival will sell for $5.

Some 50 groups are signed up for Ward’s program so far, Bruce said, but last year 137 organizations took part and raised more than $157,000.

“It’s still open,” Bruce said. Distribution of tickets begins Thursday. Interested nonprofits and schools can contact Heidi at 591-8411, ext. 231 to enroll and get an allotment of tickets for the Ward Centers Festival of Giving.

The list of Ward Centers merchants offering deals and discounts to ticket buyers is posted online for download.

“This year we actually moved the event up one week because we wanted to avoid APEC weekend,” Bruce said, so the Ward Centers festival will be Friday through Sunday, Nov. 4 through 6.

About 40 groups are signed up for the Windward Mall festival, but “ultimately, we’d love to have 100,” said Alex Kirley, marketing manager. Bands, cheerleaders, school drama clubs, churches and other nonprofit groups of all stripes are welcomed. “I would like to have as many participate as possible. It’s an easy sell and 100 percent goes back to the nonprofits,” she said.

Groups wanting to participate in the Windward Mall festival can send an email to Kristin.Shiraishi@am.jll.com or call 235-1143.

Groups will receive their tickets in late September and can obtain more if they sell out before the six-week sales period ends.

Windward Mall’s participating merchant list for this year is being firmed up, but it should be very similar to last year’s, Kirley said.

The Windward Mall Festival of Giving will be Friday through Sunday, Nov. 11 through 13, during the culmination of APEC meetings and townies may want to escape the resulting security-enhancing traffic restrictions in town and throughout Waikiki by taking a half-hour ride to Kaneohe. It also happens to be Veterans Day weekend, “a terrific shopping weekend due to the holiday,” Kirley noted.

Additionally, both centers welcome school and community bands, hula halau and other performing groups to apply to perform at the centers’ respective stages. Application forms are available at each center’s website.

A theater group, for instance, could publicize an upcoming production by signing up to perform a “snippet,” Kirley said.

“We want everyone to consider Windward Mall really a community center,” she said.

Reach Erika Engle at erika@staradvertiser.com.