Minnesotans set record for Give to the Max Day, giving more than $30 million

Despite the pandemic, Give to the Max donations soared past last year's tally.

November 20, 2020 at 3:54PM
Volunteer Jenny Thai stood on a loading dock with the multiple bags of sheets, blankets, books and toys which were delivered to childen through My Very Own Bed in northeast Minneapolis.
Volunteer Jenny Thai stood on a loading dock with the multiple bags of sheets, blankets, books and toys which were delivered to childen through My Very Own Bed in northeast Minneapolis. (Marci Schmitt — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Minnesotans doubled down Thursday on their generosity, giving more than $30 million for schools and nonprofits — setting a record in the 12 years of Give to the Max Day.

As nonprofits enter the critical year-end fundraising season, some leaders worried they'd tapped out donors with repeated calls for help in 2020 — first when COVID-19 hit and then after George Floyd's death sparked an outpouring in aid for racial justice and businesses damaged in civil unrest.

But Minnesotans, who often top the nation in lists ranking generosity, proved them wrong, flooding GiveMN's website with money and smashing 2019's record of $21.6 million.

"I think it's exceptional to see so many folks donating to the extent that they are, given the year that we've all had together," said Jake Blumberg, executive director of GiveMN. "And I think it shows, again, that Minnesota can step up and support one another when our communities need it."

While the event is pegged as a 24-hour fundraising blitz, the tally counts all donations since Nov. 1. Since organizations often rely on e-mails and social media posts to drum up support, Blumberg said "the original social distance fundraiser" was perfectly poised for a pandemic.

With Give to the Max Day, GiveMN has now hauled in a record total — more than $40 million — in 2020, three times as much as last year. More than $5 million of that came in for GiveMN's special second event of the year, Give At Home MN, in May. Then in June, after Floyd's death, more than $9 million was donated.

For the first time this year, GiveMN highlighted organizations on the front lines of the pandemic as well as those led by or serving people of color, including Black and Indigenous communities. Organizations such as the Native Governance Center in St. Paul said the extra attention helped address the funding disparity for Native American nonprofits.

The wider attention also draws new donors to small nonprofits like Appetite for Change in north Minneapolis.

"It's now become a Minnesota tradition," executive director Michelle Horovitz said of Give to the Max Day, Appetite for Change's single biggest fundraiser of the year. "People are starting to get used to giving on this day. It's a great opportunity to engage new donors."

The nonprofit, which works to increase access to healthy foods, collected $20,000 to help extend a new meal box program that delivers fresh food weekly to 300 North Side households. Horovitz said her organization has seen an influx this year in new, first-time donors after the pandemic first hit Minnesota in March and again after Floyd's death. That's helped alleviate a loss of revenue, with about half of a $3 million budget coming from income made at its two restaurants.

"Part of COVID is showing health disparities," Horovitz said of the racial disparities. "A lot of people are thinking not just about hunger relief but food justice."

More Minnesotans in need

Heather Kliewer's inbox was filling up Thursday with notifications of donors supporting Community Aid of Elk River, a food shelf serving northwest cities.

She nixed the usual fundraisers this year — a 5K benefit race in March and summer golf tournament — due to the pandemic and banked on Give to the Max Day bringing in revenue to cover operations and food for a growing number of families in need, especially families who have never sought help before.

Statewide, food shelves face double or triple the usual demand, and hunger relief organizations predict as many as 735,000 Minnesotans could be "food insecure," without access to healthy food. That's 13% of the state's population.

With coronavirus cases and deaths spiking in Minnesota and new restrictions announced Wednesday by Gov. Tim Walz, shutting down bars, restaurants and gyms Friday until Dec. 18, Kliewer worries that "the number of people in need of help is just going to go up."

Hunger relief and animal organizations were among the top fundraisers for Give to the Max Day, including Second Harvest Heartland, one of seven food banks in Minnesota, which will start paying for prepackaged foods or have employees pack food boxes after canceling all volunteer shifts through January out of concern for the safety of volunteers.

The St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation was also among the top for donations after just launching a new national fund to benefit families of health care workers who died of COVID-19.

About 6,000 nonprofits and schools solicited donations on GiveMN's site this year, about one-third of the state's more than 15,000 nonprofits. (Donations come with a 6.9% transaction fee, though GiveMN says most donors pay that fee on top of their donation.) The average donation was about $100 and donations poured in from every county in the state.

In a new survey this week of Minnesota nonprofits, leaders said they're bracing for a worse 2021 after most have changed or cut programs, budgets, hours and facilities while increasing fundraising to try to adjust for rising costs and depleting revenue.

"The need has gone up so significantly this year," Blumberg said. "They're being asked to meet needs that have been historically high ... and you can't do that without financial resources."

Nadia Al-Yasin showed My Very Own Bed founder Michael Allen a book she chose for a child as she was putting together a bed ensemble.
Nadia Al-Yasin showed My Very Own Bed founder Michael Allen a book she chose for a child as she was putting together a bed ensemble. (Marci Schmitt — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
My Very Own Bed founder Michael Allen grabbed bags filled with sheets, blankets, books and toys from Teri Pashina, a teacher with the Tassel Program, who brought a group of volunteers to help.
My Very Own Bed founder Michael Allen grabbed bags filled with sheets, blankets, books and toys from Teri Pashina, a teacher with the Tassel Program, who brought a group of volunteers to help. (Marci Schmitt — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Cathy Maes, executive director of Loaves & Fishes, a Minneapolis-based free meal program, filedl out her "Spoon-ometer," a drawing of a spoon (their logo) on a white board akin to a thermometer recording fundraising. She's hoping to raise $85K, which would be doubled by matching grants. "It's low-budget," she said of the white board. Here, Maes, got updates from co-workers via the internet, Tuesday, November 17, 2020 in Minneapolis, MN. ] ELIZABETH FLORES • liz.flores@startribune.com
Cathy Maes, executive director of Loaves & Fishes, a Minneapolis-based free meal program, filedl out her “Spoon-ometer,” a drawing of a spoon (their logo) on a white board akin to a thermometer recording fundraising. She’s hoping to raise $85K, which would be doubled by matching grants. “It’s low-budget,” she said of the white board. Here, Maes, got updates from co-workers via the internet, Tuesday, November 17, 2020 in Minneapolis, MN. ] ELIZABETH FLORES • liz.flores@startribune.com (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Cory Sandgren carried a mattress toward a My Very Own Bed delivery van. It was one of 10 beds that were scheduled to be delivered that day. ] Shari L. Gross ¥ shari.gross@startribune.com My Very Own Bed, a nonprofit that provides beds to children ages 2-17 who have recently moved into permanent housing, held a volunteer event on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, for Give to the Max Day. A group of Eden Prairie students from the Tassel Program (an education, training, employment and independent living ski
Cory Sandgren carried a mattress toward a My Very Own Bed delivery van. It was one of 10 beds that were scheduled to be delivered Thursday.] Shari L. Gross ¥ shari.gross@startribune.com (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Volunteers Maddison Schug (left) and Corey Sandgren went through a checklist of items that were packed in bags before being delivered to children through My Very Own Bed. ] Shari L. Gross • shari.gross@startribune.com My Very Own Bed, a nonprofit that provides beds to children ages 2-17 who have recently moved into permanent housing, held a volunteer event on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, for Give to the Max Day. A group of Eden Prairie students from the Tassel Program (an education, training, employ
Volunteers Maddison Schug (left) and Corey Sandgren went through a checklist of items that were packed in bags before being delivered to children through My Very Own Bed on Thursday.] Shari L. Gross • shari.gross@startribune.com (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
My Very Own Bed founder Michael Allen was pleased to find a blanket with stars on it, which was the request of a child who will receive a bed, blankets, sheets, books and toys. ] Shari L. Gross ¥ shari.gross@startribune.com My Very Own Bed, a nonprofit that provides beds to children ages 2-17 who have recently moved into permanent housing, held a volunteer event on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, for Give to the Max Day. A group of Eden Prairie students from the Tassel Program (an education, training,
My Very Own Bed founder Michael Allen was pleased to find a blanket with stars on it, which was the request of a child who will receive a bed, blankets, sheets, books and toys. ] Shari L. Gross ¥ shari.gross@startribune.com My Very Own Bed, a nonprofit that provides beds to children ages 2-17 who have recently moved into permanent housing, held a volunteer event on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, for Give to the Max Day. A group of Eden Prairie students from the Tassel Program (an education, training, employment and independent living skills program for 18-21 year-olds with disabilities) helped pack kits and deliver beds to kids. My Very Own bed founder Michael Allen said they typically deliver 80-100 beds a month, and will deliver over 900 beds in 2020, surpassing their goal. Allen said the non-profit has been affected by COVID-19 in several ways, including limiting their contact with recipient families. “We usually go inside the home and set up the beds for the kids,” he said. “COVID changed all that. I miss the leg hugs and high fives from the kids.” Allen also worries today’s volunteer event may be the last of the year, given additional restrictions placed by Gov. Tim Walz to help combat the virus. “We’re scheduled out through April for Friday and Saturday volunteer events,” Allen said. But even if volunteers are unable to come to the Northeast Minneapolis location to assist, “We’ll still get the beds delivered.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
My Very Own Bed founder Michael Allen grabbed bags filled with specifically chosen bed sheets, blankets, books and toys from Teri Pashina, a teacher with the Tassel Program, who brought a group of volunteers to help. ] Shari L. Gross ¥ shari.gross@startribune.com My Very Own Bed, a nonprofit that provides beds to children ages 2-17 who have recently moved into permanent housing, held a volunteer event on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, for Give to the Max Day. A group of Eden Prairie students from the
My Very Own Bed founder Michael Allen grabbed bags filled with specifically chosen bed sheets, blankets, books and toys from Teri Pashina, a teacher with the Tassel Program, who brought a group of volunteers to help. ] Shari L. Gross ¥ shari.gross@startribune.com My Very Own Bed, a nonprofit that provides beds to children ages 2-17 who have recently moved into permanent housing, held a volunteer event on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, for Give to the Max Day. A group of Eden Prairie students from the Tassel Program (an education, training, employment and independent living skills program for 18-21 year-olds with disabilities) helped pack kits and deliver beds to kids. My Very Own bed founder Michael Allen said they typically deliver 80-100 beds a month, and will deliver over 900 beds in 2020, surpassing their goal. Allen said the non-profit has been affected by COVID-19 in several ways, including limiting their contact with recipient families. “We usually go inside the home and set up the beds for the kids,” he said. “COVID changed all that. I miss the leg hugs and high fives from the kids.” Allen also worries today’s volunteer event may be the last of the year, given additional restrictions placed by Gov. Tim Walz to help combat the virus. “We’re scheduled out through April for Friday and Saturday volunteer events,” Allen said. But even if volunteers are unable to come to the Northeast Minneapolis location to assist, “We’ll still get the beds delivered.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

Kelly Smith

Reporter

Kelly Smith covers nonprofits/philanthropy for the Star Tribune and is based in Minneapolis. Since 2010, she’s covered Greater Minnesota on the state/region team, Hennepin County government, west metro suburban government and west metro K-12 education.

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