12/6/2019

ALPENA – In its fifth year of sharing its platform for local nonprofits to participate in the ever-growing Giving Tuesday movement, the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan (CFNEM) surpassed last year’s event by far, helping to raise $217,251 for organizations throughout the region on December 3.

“When the 2019 giving totals were announced today at our office, the room radiated positive energy and excitement,” said CFNEM Executive Director, Patrick Heraghty. “It is incredible to see the generosity of our communities in this way, and it is so impactful for the organizations receiving donations.”

Giving Tuesday follows the widely recognized shopping events, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, offering a dedicated day for charitable giving as the holiday season kicks off. The hope for this global movement is that people will set aside a few minutes, and perhaps some shopping money, to give back to their community through the charities and causes they support.

Sixty nonprofits from Alcona, Alpena, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda and Presque Isle Counties participated in the event through the Community Foundation and its three affiliate foundations, which provided the online platform, marketing tools and all recording efforts, free of charge to the participating organizations. Of the sixty organizations participating in CFNEM’s 2019 campaign, 19 organizations joined in for the first time this year.

The Community Foundation hosted nonprofit representatives on Friday, December 6, to announce the final totals, and totals raised for each individual organization. While anyone observing the Foundation’s website on Giving Tuesday saw one number, the final totals include donations to all participants and the Community Foundation’s funds, as well as walk-in donations.

Heraghty says revealing the total in person with the nonprofits is exciting for everyone because the numbers shown on the website doesn’t capture the entire story.

Helping to lead some friendly competition and build excitement for the wrap-up event was Grant, the Giving Tuesday Golden Goose, who was unveiled in 2017. Grant was presented to Alpena County Animal Facility for raising the most funds ($18,328) during the 24-hour giving event. Funds raised on Giving Tuesday will help the organization renovate a recently secured building, helping the shelter to be able to open sooner. Grant will spend his year representing the Alpena County Animal Facility and will move in 2020 to the nonprofit that raises the most funds during Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan 2020.

“Every donation received on behalf of these great organizations this week is a success story; of generosity and caring in northeast Michigan,” said Heraghty. “Seeing people show up in such a huge way to support the nonprofits doing incredible work in northeast Michigan is something each person who gave should take pride in, knowing they’ve made a difference in their community.”

Heraghty also noted that the Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan movement has a ripple effect, with many organizations reporting donations given prior to and after the event, all in the spirit of Giving Tuesday. Those totals are not included in CFNEM’s overall count, but Heraghty says the number easily eclipses an additional $30,000.

The Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan is a charitable organization committed to providing people who care about the future of our area with unique and effective ways of supporting their community now, and for generations to come. Its three affiliate foundations include Iosco County Community Foundation, North Central Michigan Community Foundation, and Straits Area Community Foundation. Led by a volunteer board of local citizens, the foundation oversees a group of permanently endowed funds from a wide range of donors. Gifts of all sizes from individuals, families, businesses and agencies are invested in a balanced, well-managed portfolio to build endowments, enabling support for students and local community nonprofits now and forever.

#####