Giving back = $2.95 million

Ashley Wheeler Gerds, Director of Strategic Engagement for the Community Foundation of Marion County unveils the final Give4Marion to a crowd gathered at the Reily Center on Sept. 18, 2024. [Sean Kaplan]

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Posted September 18, 2024 | staff report

The excitement was palpable as a large crowd watched the Give4Marion tote board during a celebration event the evening of Sept. 18 at the Reilly Arts Center. And the gasps were audible as the totals flashed on the board.

It just its fifth year, Give4Marion has now surpassed raising almost $6 million for Marion County nonprofit organizations.

Give4Marion started as a 24-hour, online fundraiser to help nonprofits recoup lost revenue from the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, it has grown into a 33-hour event that helps bring awareness to the nonprofits, connects them to new donors and volunteers, and strengthens their relationship with the community.

It also has become a social media phenomenon.

Even before this year’s event officially started at 10 a.m. on Sept. 17, donors were responding to appeals on social media. Many of the organizations got creative with their “pitch,” such as the Silver Springs Professional Dive Team, which went “underwater” to try to raise money to create a state-of-the-art diver rescue and diver safety station at the boat dock at Silver Springs State Park.

A big part of the excitement surrounding Give4Marion each year are the Matching Moments, in which sponsors offer significant amounts of money to match donor gifts, sometimes at double or triple the original dollar figure. This year, appeal after appeal, many of them noting the times for Matching Moments, rolled across social media in hopes of various organizations capitalizing on the extra funding.

There also are Power Hour prizes, with challenges such as most donors, most donations, social media challenges or random drawings.

Give4Marion makes it easy for donors to participate and gifts can range from $10 and up. Of the 5,854 total donations made in 2023, about 48% were for $50 or less. Give4Marion has grown from raising a total of $310,000 for 81 nonprofits in year one, to the 2023 event bringing in $1,427,333 for 103 participating nonprofits through the contributions of 3,923 donors.

During this year’s celebration event, the preliminary figures indicated a total of 5,065 donors made 7,421 gifts to 133 nonprofits- and more than doubled last year’s number fundraising. At the time of print it was at $2,952,664- and expected to rise.

The Give4Marion donation portal will remain open for 48 hours after the event ends, through 12 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22. Final figures will be available after that time.

To learn more, go to give4marion.org