Nonprofit Organizations Raise More than $20,000 During National Giving Day

September 1, 2021 – Sarasota

During the fourth annual Give 8/28 national giving day on August 28, 15 local Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit organizations garnered more than $20,000 from nearly 200 donors in support of a more equitable community in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties. Six of those organizations secured competitive spots on the leaderboard, coming within the top 25 out of more than 300 causes nationwide. Half of those were first-time participants.

Building on the momentum of Black Philanthropy Month throughout August, the giving day – similar to our local “Giving Challenge” – raised $177,000 overall for Black cause-driven organizations with the generosity of 1,622 donors nationwide.

This year was the second in which the Community Foundation of Sarasota County kickstarted local campaigns and covered registration fees with grant support totaling more than $4,000. Local organizations that participated include:

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

“I encourage you to pause for a moment and think about the significance behind these applaudable numbers,” said Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “As our region expands upon its commitment to improving the lives of all people, Give 8/28 and its host, the Young Black and Giving Back Institute, provided a proactive way to offer support for organizations working to address past wrongs, understand current realities, and imagine new futures. That change-making spirit is worth celebrating, all year long.”

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.  

To learn more about Give 8/28 and view results, visit https://www.give828.org/giving-events/ybgb21.