Local Nonprofit Organizations Join National Giving Day

August 25, 2021 – Sarasota

To culminate the month-long celebration of Black Philanthropy Month in August, several local nonprofit organizations will participate in the fourth annual Give 8/28, a national giving day hosted by the Young, Black and Giving Back Institute to inspire philanthropy by and for Black communities.

For the second year in a row, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County awarded $250 kickstart grants to more than 10 nonprofits in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties to encourage local involvement and help build greater support for a more equitable community. This year, these local organizations will be joined by more than 300 Black-led and Black-serving causes across the nation.

Local participating organizations include*:

• Creative Arts Academy
• D.I.V.A.S. of Sarasota
• Gamma Xi Boulé Foundation
• Horizons Unlimited Christian Academy
• Learn My History Foundation
• Making an Impact
• Margwine Organization
• Minorities in Shark Sciences
• Second Chance Last Opportunity
• SOAR Learning Center Inc.
• Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative
• Multicultural Health Institute
• Truly Valued
• Visible Men Academy
• Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

*With more organizations potentially joining Give 8/28 pending participation 

“Within the spirit of Give 8/28 lies the steadfast truth that any step taken by each of us can combine to drive macro changes for generations to come,” says Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “This is the power of charitable giving, during Black Philanthropy Month, and every month, to give individuals and communities opportunities to shape and invest in our shared future.”

To join this year’s celebration of Black philanthropy and support these local causes on Saturday, August 28, visit www.give828.org. 

Last year for the first time in the giving day’s four-year history, 15 organizations based in Sarasota-Manatee took part, joining nearly 500 other nonprofit causes across the country. Over the 15-hour digital event – similar to our local “Giving Challenge – our community’s participants garnered more than $20,000 and competitive rankings on the leaderboard, with three local organizations ranked in the top 20 overall in the nation.

Give 8/28 was created by the Young, Black and Giving Back Institute, a nonprofit organization who seeks to educate, inspire, and empower Black Gen-Xers and Millennials to invest in changing their communities through philanthropy. Held annually on August 28, the date holds both historic and symbolic significance for Black communities, reflecting the day when Emmett Till was murdered in 1955, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech, and Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, among others.  

In order to participate, nonprofit organizations must demonstrate that their board, leadership, and staff are predominantly Black and that the organization’s primary purpose is to work to build the political, economic, and/or social power of Black communities. Registration ended on August 13.