SALISBURY – The seventh annual Shore Gives More campaign raised a record-breaking $300,249 for 117 Lower Shore nonprofits this week.
On Tuesday, more than 2,599 donations were made during the seventh annual Shore Gives More campaign.
Each year, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES) assists nonprofits in Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset counties in their fundraising efforts by providing a 24-hour online donation portal, marketing tools and support to help them reach their goals. The Shore Gives More campaign coincides with Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving that is celebrated each year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving.
“Nonprofits provide critical services to the local community, and fundraisers like Giving Tuesday help charities connect with donors,” said Erica Joseph, CFES president. “Giving Tuesday has become its own holiday in the nonprofit world, and the local generosity really shines a spotlight on how wonderful our local community is.”
The Community Foundation launched its first Shore Gives More campaign in 2015 and raised nearly $7,500 in its first year. Since that time, the local fundraising event has grown to include more than 100 participating nonprofits and thousands of donors.
Of the 121 organizations participating in this year’s campaign, Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County was the top nonprofit with $16,065 raised.
“As the area’s leading philanthropic resource, the Community Foundation understands the complexities around charitable giving, and we work hard to simplify the giving process for both donors and nonprofits,” Joseph said. “By giving through the Shore Gives More campaign, donors know their gifts will have an impact close to home.”
In Worcester County, local nonprofits raised a total of $93,335, including prizes, according to CFES. The first-place participant, the Worcester County Education Foundation, received $14,435, while the second-place participant, the Art League of Ocean City, received $13,920.
“We are so amazed and thankful for the love and support we received for Giving Tuesday,” the Art League wrote on its Facebook page. “We surpassed our goal of $12,000 with a final total of $13,920. We were also ranked #2 on the leaderboards with the second highest donation amount out of 117 organizations! A huge thank you to all of our donors – we couldn’t do it without you!”
Other recipients of Tuesday’s Shore Gives More campaign include Diakonia ($12,660), Assateague Island Alliance ($4,460), Lower Shore Land Trust ($3,335) and the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum ($3,290).
“We are so thankful that the Berlin community supported us on Giving Tuesday,” said Melissa Reid, president of the museum board. “The Taylor House Museum believes in the importance of sharing local history, and the community’s support shows they value that as well. We are excited to expand our ability to share the stories of Berlin. And we are looking forward to creating new exhibits for next year.”
The campaign received sponsorships from 47 ABC and Shore United Bank, which significantly increased the campaign presence.
To learn more about the Shore Gives More Giving Tuesday campaign for local nonprofits, visit cfes.org or ShoreGivesMore.org to view individual nonprofit totals.
“We are so thrilled with how this event turned out,” said Victoria Kent, marketing officer for CFES. “It is so fun to cheer on the nonprofits and celebrate their success, knowing how important every dollar raised is to their organization.”
