Local Black-Led, Black-Serving Nonprofit Organizations Raise More than $20,000 during Give 8/28 National Giving Day

Six organizations were recognized within the top 25 fundraisers out of more than 300 causes nationwide.

SARASOTA, FL – During the fourth annual Give 8/28 national giving day on August 28^th, 15 local Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit organizations garnered more than $20,000 from nearly 200 donors in support of a more equitable community in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties. Six of those organizations secured competitive spots on the leaderboard, coming within the top 25 out of more than 300 causes nationwide. Half of those were first-time participants.

Building on the momentum of Black Philanthropy Month throughout August, the giving day – similar to our local “Giving Challenge” – raised $177,000 overall for Black cause-driven organizations with the generosity of 1,622 donors.

This year was the second in which the Community Foundation of Sarasota County kickstarted local campaigns and covered registration fees with grant support totaling more than $4,000. Local organizations that participated include:

• Creative Arts Academy
• D.I.V.A.S. of Sarasota
• Family Oriented Community United Strong Inc (FOCUS)
• Gamma Xi Boulé Foundation
• Horizons Unlimited Christian Academy
• Learn My History Foundation
• Making an Impact
• Margwine Organization
• Minorities in Shark Sciences
• SOAR Learning Center Inc.
• Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative
• Multicultural Health Institute
• Truly Valued
• Visible Men Academy
• Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

“I encourage you to pause for a moment and think about the significance behind these applaudable numbers,” said Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “As our region expands upon its commitment to improving the lives of all people, Give 8/28 and its host, the Young Black and Giving Back Institute, provided a proactive way to offer support for organizations working to address past wrongs, understand current realities, and imagine new futures. That change-making spirit is worth celebrating, all year long.”

Give 8/28 was created by the Young, Black and Giving Back Institute, a nonprofit organization who seeks to educate, inspire, and empower Black Gen-Xers and Millennials to invest in changing their communities through philanthropy. Held annually on August 28, the date holds both historic and symbolic significance for Black communities, reflecting the day when Emmett Till was murdered in 1955, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech, and Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, among others.  

To learn more about Give 8/28 and view results, visit https://www.give828.org/giving-events/ybgb21.

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About the Community Foundation of Sarasota County: The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $418 million in more than 1,500 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $21.5 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $274 million to area nonprofit organizations to our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.