In just 36 hours, local not-for-profits pulled together a record-breaking amount of donations.
The record was set by the Great Give(r) 2013, the fourth annual donation drive organized by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven through giveGreater.org.
Over a 36-hour period from October 2 to 3, not-for-profits raised $755,645 from individual donors, which was supplemented by $150,000 in prizes and matching grants from The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and its affiliate, the Valley Community Foundation (VCF).
Donations from individuals shot up by 125 percent, from $335,000 to $755,000, compared to 2012. The number of gifts went up by 67 percent, from 4,059 to 6,768.
William W. Ginsberg, president & CEO of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, called the effort a “fabulous response.” He said 45 percent of the gifts were made by donors who reported giving to an organization for the first time. Ginsberg noted that this year’s event “will produce great benefit for our local nonprofit sector, not only from the gifts and grants made but also from the donors who stepped forward to support particular
nonprofits for the first time.”