How much are people willing to help during COVID-19? Give Miami Day 2020 hits new record
Give Miami Day 2020 has raised more than $18 million — breaking last year’s $14 million record by a landslide despite the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the community.
COVID-19 has hit South Florida hard — businesses shuttered for months, people left without jobs and food insecurity was on the rise.
Many residents relied on and are still heavily relying on services provided by Miami-Dade nonprofits, which since March have halted productions or canceled events that brought in revenue because of the pandemic, making it difficult to raise funds.
Given the challenges faced by Miami’s nonprofit community during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Miami Foundation had to revamp its ninth annual event. Instead of waiting until Thursday, donors were able to make gifts to the 900 charities online at GiveMiamiDay.org starting on Monday through an Early Giving initiative.
Then for 24 hours beginning at 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Thursday, donations started pouring in for more than 900 nonprofit organizations in Miami-Dade County.
The campaign received 55,326 donations and ended the night with $18,265,367.
“I am mesmerized by the generosity of Miami. After a year of so much loss, people gave more than they ever thought possible,” said Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, president and CEO of The Miami Foundation.. “Give Miami Day
Give Miami Day 2020 raised more than $18 million for nonprofits — breaking last year’s $14 million record despite COVID-19 challenges in the community.
2020 shows that our community understands the sacrifices our local nonprofits made this year. Nonprofits were brave and innovative this year, and we stepped up for them the way they have stepped up for us.”
The foundation also enhanced Give Miami Day by introducing “Power Hours” to spotlight specific causes and organizations and other personalized measures to help make giving easier and more fun.
“We saw people strengthening Miami every ten seconds for 24 straight hours,” said Lipsey. “After a year where we were physically divided and politically pitted against each other, to end the year with such a show of unity was deeply healing for Miami. Across every line of difference, we stand together to strengthen this city.”
Greater Miami Jewish Federation won the $1,000 “Another Miami Moment Prize” for receiving the gift that led the campaign to surpass last year’s record. And just like the two previous years, the foundation raised the most money on Give Miami Day with a total of $1,026,577.
It surpassed educational nonprofit Achieve Miami, which took home second place again this year with $502,420. Jewish Community Services of South Florida won the $1,000
“Record Breaker Prize” by receiving the 39,980th gift, surpassing last year’s total donations.
Greater Miami Jewish Federation President and CEO Jacob Solomon said that Give Miami Day has always been essential but this year it is “even more critical.”
He said the federation plans to use the matching funds to help meet the increased need for food, financial assistance, mental health counseling, hardship scholarships and additional PPE needed to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is not a competition between or among nonprofits; it is a celebration of our “better angels” as we work together to celebrate the decency and humanity of our wonderful community,” Solomon said.
Miami Herald Charities’ Wish Book also launched on Give Miami Day and was one of the 900 charities seeking donations. The nonprofit project has been helping South Florida’s neediest families for nearly 40 years.
“We have had a recordbreaking day in donations — the most ever in one day online,” said Roberta DiPietro, Wish Book’s coordinator. “Give Miami Day doubled what we made in the last two years and tripled what we made the year before.”
According to DiPietro, Wish Book raised more than $17,000 on Give Miami Day.
So, what nonprofits saw success during one of the country’s largest giving events?
Based on the Top 10 leaderboards for large, medium and small sized organizations, educational and children nonprofits saw success again this year.
Many of the organizations that made it into the Top 10 leaderboards, regardless of the organization’s size or whether they specialized in education or not, were nonprofits that mentioned on their Give Miami Day profile how COVID-19 impacted their services or how they’ve assisted the community throughout the pandemic.
There were 39 prizes listed in Give Miami Day 2020 website. Here are some of the prizes that were given out:
The Miami-Dade County Nonprofit Support Prize — Miami Lighthouse for the Blind won $1,000 for receiving the
$10 millionth dollar to “highlight the COVID-19 relief funding for nonprofits through our grant program with Miami-Dade County’s Department of Public Housing and Community Development,” the Miami Foundation said.
The Hero Prize — Feeding South Florida won $1,000 in the large organization category for receiving the most unique gifts
AAbetween 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. to “honor the hospital staff and first responders keeping our community safe during COVID-19,” the Miami Foundation said. Junior League of Miami, Inc. won the $1,000 prize in the medium organization category and True North Classical Academy won the $1,000 prize for the small organization category.
The Community Recovery Prize — Our Lady
Aof Lourdes Academy won $1,000 for receiving the most unique gifts between 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. to “celebrate the generous donors that have given to our fund to support nonprofits impacted by COVID-19,” the Miami Foundation said.
The 1st gift Prize — The Children’s Voice Chorus won $1,000 for being the first organization to receive a gift on Give Miami Day 2020.
The You Snooze, You Lose Prize — The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of MiamiDade County won $1,500 in the large organization category for raising the most money during the first day of early giving on Nov. 16. The Children’s Movement of Florida won the $1,500 prize in the medium organization category and Beth Or won the $1,500 prize in the small organization category.
To see how your favorite nonprofit ranked, visit www.givemiamiday.org
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