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North Texas Raises Record $39.4 Million

Philanthropy in Texas is showing little sign of stopping after $39.4 million was raised from over 137,000 gifts during the 18-hour North Texas Giving Day on Sept. 14. Hosted by the Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) in Dallas and powered by Austin-based  Kimbia, the giving day’s sum was a record for the nine-year-old event and drew $2 million more than 2016 while increasing participating nonprofits by 15 percent. It marks the giving day’s sixth consecutive year of year-over-year increased giving.

This year’s event offered scheduled giving for the first time, with a reported $6 million scheduled in the week leading up to the giving day. The largest community foundation in the state and one of the largest in the country, CFT manages nearly 1,000 charitable funds and has awarded $1.7 billion in grants since its founding in 1953.

“The North Texas community has once again blown us away with their generosity,” Susan Swan Smith, chief giving day officer at CFT and North Texas Giving Day team lead said in a release. “Raising funds for local philanthropy is more important than ever, and we are deeply grateful for the donors, nonprofits, volunteers and partners, like Kimbia, who make this event possible year after year.”

Over 2,700 organizations benefited from the gifts, according to the event’s website. Launched in 2009 with a total of $4 million in donations, the event has now raised over $195 million during its history. The giving day, in particular, benefits organizations located in Dallas, Fort Worth, and surrounding areas. The demands of the region will continue to increase as those displaced in the long- and short-term by Hurricane Harvey relocate to the area, per the event’s website.

The Mass Care Task Force and CFT’s Relief and Recovery Fund received a total of $370,000 from 1,775 donations during the giving day to support Harvey-related efforts. Mass Care Task Force, a collaboration between the American Red Cross North Texas Region, The Salvation Army Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Command, North Texas Food Bank, and VolunteerNow serves those who have evacuated to shelters in Dallas and other locales across the state. CFT’s Relief and Recovery Fund is helping support mid-to-long-term rebuilding needs. Both are continuing fundraising efforts.