Communities throughout Manitoba are benefitting from the generosity that shone across our province on National Philanthropy Day.
On Nov. 15 more than 400 gifts were made by Manitobans to their rural community foundations during the Endow Manitoba 24-Hour Giving Challenge. These gifts, which totaled $210,000, were stretched by almost $35,000 from The Winnipeg Foundation – for a total of over $245,000.
“We are thrilled with results of the 24-Hour Giving Challenge. We know Manitobans are among the most generous in the country,” says Rick Frost, CEO of The Winnipeg Foundation. “With 39 different community foundations participating in the challenge, communities across the province will benefit from this generosity forever.”
Kelly Lewis (seated), Chair of Selkirk & District Community Foundation, makes a gift during the 24-Hour Giving Challenge, with husband Larry and granddaughters Lilly and Maria.
The Selkirk and District Community Foundation (SDCF) devised a novel way to encourage gifts – they held a special event and set up a giving station at the regional library the day of the Giving Challenge. Complete with coffee and great friends, the event helped donors feel involved – and it paid off! SDCF was the top fundraiser, with 98 individual gifts totaling $25,688.
“The 24 Hour Giving Challenge was a great way to kick-off the Giving Season,” says Bev Clegg, SDCF Executive Director. “The SDCF Board jumped all over the opportunity to host an event that featured our two favourite things: community and giving. And we got to do that in the new Gaynor Family Regional Library – what a fantastic way to celebrate National Philanthropy Day!”
Other highlights:
- Ten community foundations raised more than $10,000 each.
- Five community foundations received more than 20 gifts each.
Gifts made during the 24-Hour Giving Challenge will never be spent. Instead, they are invested in permanent endowment funds and the interest earned goes back to the community as grants for various projects and programs. That means each gift keeps giving forever, plus the impact snowballs over time as investments grow.
Endowment funds at community foundations support a wide range of local charitable projects, such as installing play structures at childcare centres, upgrading seniors’ homes, making recreation more accessible, providing communities with medical equipment and preserving heritage.
The Winnipeg Foundation is Canada’s oldest community foundation, started in 1921. Today there are 191 community foundations in the country, and Manitoba is home to 51 of them!
Proud to be the home of the community foundation movement, The Winnipeg Foundation is pleased to support the development of rural Manitoba foundations through the Endow Manitoba 24-Hour Giving Challenge.
You can learn more about the 24-Hour Giving Challenge and see results from each community foundation online.
