Community Foundation Helps Raise over $120,000 for Local Nonprofits

ALPENA – In its third year of providing the 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 $120,668 for organizations throughout the region on November 28.

“We are absolutely floored by how our communities showed up in support of our local nonprofits on Giving Tuesday,” said CFNEM Executive Director, Patrick Heraghty. “We know northeast Michiganders are incredibly generous, and that was proved in a huge way on Tuesday.”

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 from holiday shopping to give back to their community through the charities and causes they support.

“There are not enough ways to describe the heart-felt gratitude we at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeast Michigan are feeling,” said Kellie Sefernick of the CAC. “With the money received through the generous donations we will be able to cover the cost of our reaccreditation with the National Children’s Alliance, and be able to continue providing a safe, supportive and child-friendly environment for victims of physical and sexual abuse to be heard.”

Fifty-one nonprofits from Alcona, Alpena, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda and Presque Isle Counties participated in the event through the Community Foundation, which provided the online platform, marketing tools and all recording efforts.

“We here at the Crawford County Commission on Aging feel privileged to have been part of something that together can influence so many,” said Christine Sayad of the CCCA. “All of us realize it takes a lot of hard work and care to make our agencies and programs operate to capacity. To see the out pouring of donations which came in on Giving Tuesday, tells us how much people really do care and will inspire us to work even harder!  Donations we raised will help fund one of our most vital programs - Meals on Wheels.”

“Giving Tuesday is a great opportunity for the nonprofits we serve to mobilize their current set of supporters, and also to build relationships with a whole new group of people through social media,” said CFNEM Marketing Communications Director Christine Hitch. “The enthusiasm and spirit the whole movement creates for these organizations, and for the Community Foundation is contagious. What a win for northeast Michigan! Everyone should be so proud of the generosity of our community.”

The Community Foundation hosted nonprofit representatives on Friday, December 1^st to announce the final totals and individual totals raised for their organizations. To add a little friendly competition to the Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan event, the Community Foundation unveiled the Giving Tuesday Golden Goose, which was presented to the Northeast Michigan Women’s Giving Circle for raising the most funds during the 24-hour giving event. The Golden Goose, nicknamed “Grant”, will spend his year at the Community Foundation office, and will move in 2018 to the nonprofit that raises the most funds during Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan 2018.

Heraghty noted that the support shown on Giving Tuesday highlighted the importance and impact social media has for nonprofits in garnering donations for their organizations. For 2017, the number of gifts on Giving Tuesday through the Community Foundation increased from 495 in 2016 to over 750 this year. Heraghty says he and the rest of the Community Foundation staff are already making plans for the next Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan, which is November 27, 2018.

The top 25 organizations, by dollar amount raised, are: