Give Miami Day raises record $7.1 million for nonprofits by Rosemary D'Amour
Give Miami Day participants and volunteers document hitting $6 million fundraising milestone on Nov. 19.
The Miami Foundation raised more than $7.1 million for South Florida nonprofits in its fourth online giving campaign, which ran from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
Give Miami Day started four years ago as a platform for “democratized” giving. For 24 hours, the Greater Miami area experiences a fundraising blitz, with local organizations seeking support for causes around the community. The Miami Foundation, which connects donors to the community, coordinates the fundraising, collects the donations and, along with the individual organizations, heavily promotes the event on social media, also awarding incentive prizes to nonprofits for meeting goals and milestones.
And each year, the annual giving event supported by Knight Foundation gets bigger. In 2014, nearly 20,000 donors raised a record $5.2 million for 520 local nonprofit organizations. This year, more than 24,000 contributed over $7.1 million for more than 600 organizations, making it the largest annual giving event in the Southeast U.S.
“This started as an experiment; nothing like this had ever been done before in Miami,” said Miami Foundation Communications Director Matthew Beatty. “The response has been overwhelming. It shows it’s starting to strike a nerve with this community.”
The focus is making the donation process as simple, accessible, and impactful as possible through the givemiamiday.org portal, which features leaderboards and details of milestones. The effort also features a bonus pool, where donations ranging from $25 to $10,000 are matched by The Miami Foundation and its partners, including Knight.
“It’s the ease with which Give Miami Day allows you to invest back in your community that’s helped it gain traction,” Beatty said. “It ignites what’s already in everyone here: We love this city.”
The total number of gifts this year was 24,739, with the majority of gifts going toward education and youth development. Participating organizations were split into different categories based on their operating budgets. Of large organizations, The Greater Miami Jewish Federation raised the most, with $537,571 and 343 gifts. Of medium-sized organizations, The Children’s Movement of Florida raised $158,453 with 616 gifts. Of small organizations, Gene Spotlight raised the most with $121,125, but DIBIA Dream, which provides local athletic programs to underprivileged kids, achieved the highest number of gifts with 235.
Like other online Giving Days, outreach for Give Miami Day relies heavily on social media. While The Miami Foundation gives organizations guidance and helps amplify their messages, the onus is really on the local organizations to drive their audiences to donate.
“This campaign is really carried by participating organizations; they’re the ones that mobilize their donor bases,” Beatty said. “It’s their opportunity to tell their stories on a communitywide platform, and they’ve really taken it and ran with it.”
Online Giving Days, which many organizations hold throughout the year, have grown in recent years as a way for organizations to reach new donors. The events culminate on Giving Tuesday, this year on Dec. 1, when organizations from around the world will hold 24-hour fundraising campaigns. Knight’s Giving Day Playbook, provides resources for local organizations and foundations looking to start and improve Giving Days.
Rosemary D’Amour is the digital communications associate for Knight Foundation. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @rosedamo.
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Big Dreams
New Orleans native and St. Augustine alumnus, Brandon Okpalobi, was recently honored by the City of Miami for his community outreach through his non-profit organization Dibia D.R.E.A.M. (Development through Recreational Education for Athletic Minds). The organization hosts sports camps throughout the country, and in Bermuda. Okpalobi brings his Essence of Sports Camp to New Orleans annually to coincide with the Essence Festival. His successful 2015 Essence of Sports Camp hosted over 80 kids exposing young minds to athletic prowess, life skills, science and engineering via a partnership STEM NOLA.
Brandon Okpalobi was awarded the Youth Sports Ambassador Award by Miami’s Mayor Jimenez, for leadership and service to children in the community. This is an amazing accomplishment for Okpalobi whose two organizations are still in their infancy. The parent company Dibia Athletic Development is only four years old, while Dibia D.R.E.A.M. is not even one-year old yet. Expect greater things from Mr. Brandon Okpalobi who’s company motto is “Dream Big and Conquer!”
DIBIA Dream to host Annual Essence of Sports Clinic by Terry Jones
New Orleans, LA. – DIBIA Dream will host its annual Essence of Sports Clinic from 9 a.m.-12:00 p.m., June 29, 2015 – July 2, 2015 at Isidore Newman High School. The clinic is designed for girls and boys of all skill levels, ages 7-16. The Clinic is FREE of cost.
The Dream Essence of Sports Clinic is the perfect blend of sports, educational development, life skills emphasis, and physical fitness. Attendees will be inspired to pursue their DREAMS as they leave with a renewed confidence to excel academically, socially, and athletically. Dream Essence of Sports Clinic includes: Educational and Life Skills Interactive Workshops; Innovative and Intense Basketball Drills; STEM projects facilitated by STEM NOLA; Special Celebrity Guest Speakers; and an Exclusive Dream t-shirt. Hydration will be provided.
Brandon Okpalobi, New Orleans native, founder of Dream and former St. Augustine basketball player, will facilitate the clinic’s inventive athletic activities, along with other skilled coaches and former St. Augustine players.
For more information, contact Brandon Okpalobi at (786) 543-8826 or [email protected]
Hoop dreams fulfilled by sponsors
Big Brothers Big Sisters is sending three young people to the Dibia Basketball Camp next month thanks to the spontaneous donation of four charity-minded friends.
Curtis Williams, Lloyd Holder, Glenn Jones and Jeff Baron pooled their money to equally fund two camp scholarships. The Dibia organization was inspired by the gesture and agreed to grant a third scholarship.
Patrina O’Connor-Paynter, the charity’s marketing director, is now looking to build a long-term relationship with Dibia Athletics.
The Dibia Basketball camp teaches basketball, leadership and life skills to children between the ages of seven and 16 years-old during school spring and summer breaks. Next month’s camp is August 4-8. The Bermuda Sun has been a media sponsor of the camps for several years.
Go to dibiaathletic.com for more information. To make a scholarship donation email [email protected].