Sarasota Couple Will Donate $100 to All 728 Giving Challenge Nonprofit Participants

Repeating their leadership in 2022, Joe and Mary Kay Henson have agreed to ignite the “100% Club” and inspire others to join

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—Just as they did in 2022, Sarasota-based philanthropists Joe and Mary Kay Henson have pledged to donate $100 to every nonprofit that will take part in the Giving Challenge 2024, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s 24-hour online giving event happening noon to noon April 9-10.

Donating $100 to all 728 participating nonprofit organizations will leverage the generous 1:1 match on all donations from $25-$100 that The Patterson Foundation is again contributing. This means that the Hensons’ donation of $72,800 will become $145,600.

The couple hope to inspire giving by others who have the means to take full advantage of The Patterson Foundation’s match, which is unlimited.

"This is an opportunity to double our money for a great cause,” says Mary Kay Henson. “We absolutely have confidence in the Community Foundation to recognize these organizations are worthy of help.”

The Hensons trust investing in participating nonprofits because participation in the Giving Challenge requires organizations to register in The Giving Partner, an online comprehensive database of nonprofits that includes information about their impact, mission, leadership, and financials. The Giving Partner is a tool offered by the Community Foundation that would-be donors can use to search for nonprofits that work within causes they care about, offering transparency that provides assurance to donors.

In 2022, the Hensons donated $100 to all 667 participating nonprofits, turning a $66,700 donation into $133,400. That year’s Giving Challenge raised $16.2 million in 24 hours, showcasing the generosity of our community and its enthusiastic support of the nonprofit sector. More than $6 million of those dollars were provided by The Patterson Foundation’s match.

Dollars raised during the Giving Challenge are unrestricted, so the organizations themselves can put them to best use. In 2022, organizations each raised an average of $14,356, which, for many, offered new possibilities for pursuing their missions, expanding reach, and enhancing their potential.

“By uniting donors with the common goal of strengthening our nonprofit community, the Giving Challenge illustrates the potential our region has for charitable giving,” says Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “To think what our friends at The Patterson Foundation ignited a dozen years ago by supporting the challenge with their matching gifts is just extraordinary. For donors of every means, knowing their money is doubled is a great incentive for giving. We didn’t realize until last year just how much impact this match could have—the Hensons have shown us the possibilities are truly limitless.”

The average gift made during the Giving Challenge in 2022 was $96, and the average person contributed to two organizations. The minimum gift is $25, and while gifts exceeding $100 are greatly appreciated, the match is set to the $100 threshold.

Many of the hundreds of participating nonprofits have also developed additional matches within their own campaigns, including peer-to-peer fundraising and different mini-challenges that increased the excitement—as well as the earnings—of the event. The Community Foundation supports organizations with tips and trainings on successful campaigning and incentivizes best practices in fundraising with competitive prizes.

“It’s really fun to see individuals and nonprofits get creative in their giving and their campaigns,” says Jerde. “At the end of the day, though, it’s much more than fun—it's rewarding. This is money that supports our nonprofit community, which is largely to thank for the great quality of life here. It’s money used to transform lives for the better.”

Over eight challenges since 2012, the Giving Challenge has raised $75 million in unrestricted funding to around 700 nonprofits serving Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Those interested in making a contribution on April 9 – 10, 2024, can visit www.givingchallenge.org to take part and search for causes to support.

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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 $489 million in more than 1,580 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $40 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 $435.8 million to area nonprofit organizations in our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.