Match Day successful for local charities

0

SIDNEY — The Community Foundation of Shelby County’s Match Day appears to have been successful for the fourteen participating charities and those who benefit from their services. While final totals have not been calculated, most charities exceeded or were very close to the $5,000 needed to receive the full match from Community Foundation resources. Gifts were being accepted until midnight Tuesday night, Nov. 27, and will be processed over the next few days.

“Thank you to everyone who donated to benefit a favorite charity. We are overwhelmed by the generosity and enthusiasm we witnessed throughout the Match Day event,” said Marian Spicer, executive director. “We appreciate the work each of the charities did to spread the word among their supporters, which was vitally important in generating gifts.

“A special thank you to Dave Ross, who recognized how our first Match Day in 2017 inspired giving and became the major contributor to the pool of matching money this year and for years to come. I also thank an anonymous donor, who made a generous gift to ensure we could offer $5,000 to each charity. Match Day 2018 would not have occurred without their support.”

Match Day was held Tuesday, known in the U.S. as ‘Giving Tuesday.’ The event celebrated the 66th anniversary of the Community Foundation of Shelby County by giving fourteen charities a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $5,000. Participating organizations needed to have a 501(c)(3) tax status and an organization fund within the Foundation that exceeded the Foundation’s minimum fund size. Gifts received were not placed into an organization’s fund, but instead are being disbursed to the organization and will be put to work in the community. Match Day gifts are still be accepted, even though they are no longer eligible for any available matching dollars. All gifts earmarked for Match Day will be forwarded to the intended charities.

Participating organizations were Alpha Community Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County, Compassionate Care of Shelby County, Historic Sidney Theatre, Operation Rebirth, S&H Products, Senior Center of Sidney-Shelby County, Shelby County Arc, Shelby County Historical Society, Shelby County Libraries Foundation, Shelby County United Way, Sidney First United Methodist Church, Sidney-Shelby County YMCA and Wilma Valentine Childcare.

Final award amounts will be announced at a celebration on Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. at the Amos Memorial Public Library Community Room.

“Even though Match Day has ended, the giving season has not,” said Jessica Fortkamp, donor relations director at the Community Foundation. “We encourage anyone who wants to give or whose favorite charities were not part of Match Day to make a gift to those charities soon. Many great organizations serve Shelby County and need support to continue their programs.”

The local foundation was established Nov. 17, 1952, and has grown to nearly $34 million in assets. It administers more than 180 charitable funds, including scholarship, donor advised, designated, organization and community granting funds.

No posts to display