CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Exactly one month ago, KIII was part of the 15th Annual Coastal Bend Day of Giving.
This year’s effort raised a record-breaking $4.1 million for 62 area non-profit organizations, and they all came together Thursday to celebrate and to receive the money so generously given.
There were lots of smiles and expressions of gratitude, as members of the Coastal Bend Community Foundation handed out checks today, each representing an opportunity to change lives.
Karen Selim, President & CEO of the Foundation, tells 3News, “The Coastal Bend Day of Giving, the way it operates, is to provide help to organizations that provide food, shelter, clothing, medical care, childcare and some youth prevention programs.”
Over $2.7 million was given during the 24-hour Coastal Bend Day of Giving fundraising event. Another $1.4 million was then added to that number, made possible by more than 2-dozen matching funders.
One of the groups grateful for the help, is the Boys & Girls Club of the Coastal Bend.
“We are working currently on getting an Early Learning Center out in Flour Bluff,” says Marketing Manager Scott Sayre. “We started construction on that a few months ago and we’re looking at opening that up in March.”
No matter where you live, it seems that there is a never-ending battle to support children, fight hunger, restore health and reduce homelessness. Thankfully, there are groups here who are on the frontline of that fight, providing help for those who need it the most.
That includes the YMCA of the Coastal Bend.
“The YMCA is not just a gym,” says Board President Marcus Lozano. “So many people think it’s just a gym, but we focus a lot on youth development, we focus a lot on our childcare programs and our after-school programs. There’s so much more to the YMCA that the Coastal Bend does not know about.”
Of the 62 organizations who benefited from this year’s call to action, eight were able to bring in more than $100,000.
However, each participating group was set up with another chance to show what it means to make a difference.
Michelle Horine, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Texas summed it up this way:
“We’re just grateful for the donors who donated through Coastal Bend Day of Giving. It allowed us to make our match and then really be able to serve our mission and take care of the families who need us at Ronald McDonald House," she said.
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