Match Day 2013, a one-day online fundraiser that ran 24 hours Thursday, collected more than $2.8 million, exceeding its monetary goal of $1.8 million, the total number of dollars brought in during last year’s inaugural fundraiser.
The charity event, orchestrated by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, benefits 21 local nonprofit organizations that focus on supporting underprivileged residents with basic necessities like food and shelter.
“We made a huge increase over last year in terms of donations, so we’re just really grateful for the generosity of the individuals who donated to Match Day and our partner foundations,” said Rob Guilbert, vice president of communications and marketing for the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
More than 5,000 unique donors contributed funds to the event with more than 7,200 donations made total. Individual and corporate donors could decide which of the 21 nonprofit groups they wanted their funds to support. They could also make donations to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Basic Needs Fund, which was established in 2008. Those who gave were then entered into a drawing with prizes from the Milwaukee Brewers and Time Warner Cable.
Financial gifts were proportionately matched by a pot of $750,000 funded by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the Brewers Community Foundation, the United Way of Greater Milwaukee, and the Faye McBeath Foundation.
Recipient organizations and online donation totals included:
*Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin – $345,945
*Milwaukee Rescue Mission – $290,459
*Hunger Task Force – $268,706
*The Women’s Center – $149,805
*Hebron House of Hospitality – $117,256
*Food Pantry of Waukesha County – $109,305
*Salvation Army Wisconsin & Upper Michigan – $87,904
*Pathfinders Milwaukee – $75,005
*Hope Center – $71,114
*Repairers of the Breach – $53,113
*Community Advocates – $46,795
*Sojourner Family Peace Center – $45,383
*Guest House of Milwaukee – $33,135
*Walker’s Point Youth & Family – $32,705
*The Cathedral Center – $27,345
*Daystar – $25,361
*Center for Veterans Issues – $24,096
*Advocates of Ozaukee – $20,840
*Friends of Abused Families – $20,470
*Hope House of Milwaukee – $17,172
*Family Promise of Washington County – $11,345
*Basic Needs Fund – $4,340
“This exceeded our wildest expectations,” Guilbert said.” “We’re very pleased.”
For more information about Match Day, visit http://matchdaymke.razoo.com.
