A national department store is looking to help local nonprofit organizations raise funds this summer.

Belk will hold its semi-annual Charity Sale 6-10 a.m. May 1.

In the meantime, the corporation is looking for nonprofit groups to participate.

Groups can sell $5 advance tickets to shoppers, which includes extra discounts the day of the event ranging from an additional 15 percent to 70 percent off, and $5 off a first purchase of $5 or more.

Belk cardholders also will receive double rewards for their purchases.

Charities keep 100 percent of the proceeds from their individual ticket sales and are entered to win one of three $1,000 donations from Belk.

Tickets are good at any of the 300-plus Belk locations, including one at Lakeshore Mall, 285 Dawsonville Highway in Gainesville.

Beginning April 18, shoppers can purchase a $5 ticket at a Belk store, with proceeds from those sales to be split among the participating nonprofit groups.

Since launching the event in 2007, Belk officials say it has raised more than $14 million.

Last May’s Charity Sale raised more than $5 million throughout the company’s 16-state market area.