Giving Hearts Day is the single largest online giving day in North Dakota. It all began in 2008, when the Dakota Medical Foundation, the Alex Stern Family Foundation and the Impact Foundation, launched a bold new endeavor to create the region’s first giving day for healthcare-related charities. The strategy was to stimulate giving activity online in the month of February. Initially, to bolster support, Dakota Medical Foundation provided match funding to all participating organizations.
In 2012, nonprofit organizations that were not healthcare-related, suggested that they could raise their own match from generous donors in their community to participate. Something incredibly impactful was uncovered – these organizations that raised their own match to participate, were highly successful. Their donors engaged like never before. They saw an increase in major gifts through the match requests that happened prior to the day, and by donors that matched gifts from the community on Giving Hearts Day.
The history of Giving Hearts Day has facilitated great growth for major gift support both ahead of Giving Hearts Day and during the event. Participating nonprofits often experience breakthroughs with major gift requests, lapsed donors returning and new donors being added to their fundraising system. Simply put, the match opportunity allows nonprofit organizations to accelerate results.
Last year alone, Giving Hearts Day raised $13.2 million from 28,000 donors giving over 65,000 gifts to over 450 nonprofits! Over the past 11 years, Giving Hearts Day has raised $54.8 million!
Now your local West River Health Services Foundation is a participating member with the Impact Foundation and therefore, part of Giving Hearts Day. Our membership with Impact allows us to attend regular coaching sessions by trained fundraising professionals; network with other participating nonprofits; promote our other fundraising campaigns online; and more.
Our WRHS Foundation has developed a Giving Hearts Day Strategic Plan to acquire matching funds; create awareness of Giving Hearts Day; engage with our service area communities; encourage our Partners In Health Club members to re-up their memberships on Giving Hearts Day; and raise $52,000+ for our newly created Physician Recruitment Endowment Fund. With some of our physicians recently retiring or leaving to be near family, we believe our #1 priority is Physician Recruitment. Hence the reason for development of our new Physician Recruitment Endowment Fund.
Fortunately, we have had terrific success in acquiring $26,000 in Matching Funds for Giving Hearts Day. We have received amazing gifts from our local business partners (Slope Electric Cooperative, Dakota Western Bank and Community Clothes Closet) and our giving Physician Staff (Dr. Josh & Dr. Carrie Ranum, Dr. Duncan Ackerman, Dr. Mark Kristy, Dr. John Joyce, Dr. Ellen Ketterling, Dr. Cathy Houle and Dr. Mary Aaland). Now our challenge is to raise another $26,000+, so we can reach our goal of $52,000+ for our new Physician Recruitment Endowment Fund. We believe this fund will improve our competitiveness for top physicians.
This year, Giving Hearts Day falls on Valentine’s Day, Thursday, February 14, 2019. We invite our neighbors who believe in our mission and want to help us improve our competitiveness for top physicians, to go to givingheartsday.org on February 14th, search West River Health Services Foundation, and make a gift via credit card. Those who would prefer to give by check, are more than welcome to write a check to “WRHSF,” dated 2-14-19, with Giving Hearts Day in the memo section, and we’ll be more than happy to come pick it up. Or maybe you’d rather send it via mail to WRHSF, Attn: Giving Hearts Day, 1000 Hwy 12, Hettinger, ND 58639. Rest assured that your gift, whether online or via check, goes directly into our WRHS Foundation’s bank account. Dakota Medical Foundation, the Alex Stern Family Foundation and the Impact Foundation provide the website, logistics and charity resources that help make Giving Hearts Day, the region’s most generous day of giving, a success for local nonprofits. Also, we are thankful for every gift, no matter the size. Every gift counts! And if you’d rather your gift went to another area at West River Health Services or Western Horizons Living Centers, we’ll certainly honor your request.
Our next GIVING HEARTS DAY VOLUNTEERS MEETING is Wednesday, December 12th, 6:30pm in the WRHS Board Room. Time permitting, we’d very much appreciate if you could attend. Onward!