The Greater Manhattan Community Foundation’s goal of raising $200,000 for local not-for-profit organizations was surpassed on Grow Green Match Day, with 21 gifts benefiting Meadowlark Hills adding to the effort. According to the event website, GrowGreenManhattan.com, 1,331 gifts totaling $232,517.36 will support organizations which have an endowment fund with GMCF. Local businessman and former Meadowlark Hills board member Phil Howe again agreed to provide matching funds, so each organization’s donation total will be increased 50%. The 3rd annual event was held on Earth Day, April 22, at Colony Square Atrium.

Meadowlark Hills resident Sue Hunt said she attended the most recent Ambassadors meeting and encouraged members to participate. She and two other ambassadors, Frances Holcombe and Mary Ann McCoy, attended the event together, enjoying complimentary coffee and donuts after making their contributions. Donors also received free “Money Plant” seeds, which Hunt intends to sow on the Meadowlark Hills campus. “I always try to give $365 to the Good Samaritan Fund, so I thought this was a good time to make a donation because of the matching funds,” Hunt said. Holcombe was part of fundraising efforts during her career, so she said she knows the hard work it takes to grow an organization’s “green.”

“Any way you can raise money and make people happy that they’re doing it is a good thing,” she added. How did Meadowlark Hills do? Our donation total was $5,275, meaning we’ll also receive $2,637.50 in matching dollars. In addition, donors who attended the event registered to win an hourly cash prize to support the organization of his or her choice. Meadowlark Hills resident Orris Kelly’s name was drawn at 11 a.m. last Wednesday, and because he had designated Meadowlark Hills as his benefitting organization, another $100 was added to our donations. Our grand total is $8,012.50! 

Thank you to those who made Meadowlark Hills Foundation’s first year to participate such a success; your generosity is greatly appreciated. GMCF is sending gift receipts to Match Day donors.

The day of the event, participating organizations could track their progress on the Match Day website. With all of the donations counted, Meadowlark Hills placed 16^th out of 41 organizations in terms of the amount raised. Shepherd’s Crossing, an ecumenical ministry which offers budget counseling and financial support, topped all participating Match Day agencies with donations of $20,209.80. Fairy Godmothers, who aim to improve the health and well-being of women with limited resources whose needs are met by other funding sources, placed second on the Match Day leader board with a donation total of $18,862.82, and was the organization receiving the most donations at 124. 
   

GMCF president and CEO Vern Henricks used his Facebook page on Match Day to promote the event and share updates as the green grew. “Combined with the match of nearly $123,000, you get almost $370,000 for nonprofit efforts,” Henricks wrote the following afternoon. “Thank you all for a day well done. God bless Manhappyville! What a great place to live!”