Want to be a change-maker in your own community? Start with Give Miami Day | Opinion
Thank goodness for Miami-Dade’s nonprofits and their staffers and volunteers who toil daily to help improve the lives of the less fortunate in our community.
From providing vital services to advocating for change, these nonprofits are the backbone of our local ecosystem and the champions of the downtrodden.
So how can the rest of us help those who help the disadvantaged in our community?
Give Miami Day is here, the 24-hour online fundraising event held annually by The Miami Foundation, designed to give everyone a chance to easily donate to their favorite local nonprofits. This year’s event included an “early giving” phase ending Wednesday, but the big day is Thursday, Nov. 21.
It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for hundreds of nonprofits who have registered with the foundation, enabling them to receive donations to help fund their work for the next year. These include organizations working on a wide range of issues such as feeding the hungry, mentoring youth, advancing the arts, protecting the environment and fighting for animal rights.
Donations go directly to the nonprofit of your choice, and — even better — some are eligible to be matched, doubling the amount the organization receives.
It’s not lost on organizers that times are hard all around for many in our community. But this effort isn’t just about donating money. It’s also about showing that when times get tough, South Floridians show up for each other.
During last year’s Give Miami Day, $34 million was collected in Miami-Dade. This year, the aim is to engage even more donors. Organizers want to see a significant increase in participation beyond the previous record, when 96,000 individual donors participated.
The goal is to get 100,000 donors and surpass the amount of cash collected in 2023, said Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, president and CEO of The Miami Foundation, which organizes the annual event.
“Our goal is for everyone in Miami to step up and give back, in whatever way they can, to the areas they care about,” she told the Herald Editorial Board.
The Miami Herald has been an early supporter of Give Miami Day, asking those in the community to donate to the newspaper’s annual holiday Wish Book drive and help make the wishes of those in need come true.
Fishman Lipsey says Give Miami Day, which was launched in 2012, has helped transform Miami-Dade’s image as a town not known for its open-handedness or its engagement.
“Years ago, studies showed that Miami had low civic health. Low volunteerism, low voter turnout and low donation rates,” she said. “We’re so proud to see Miami now host one of the strongest giving days in the world.“
That’s good progress.
Give Miami Day is as a testament to the generosity that resides within the hearts of Miami’s residents. It is a day when everyone pitches in together, regardless of differences, to strengthen Miami.
As any nonprofit who benefits from the donations will tell you, this one-day event is truly transformative. It clearly reflects how committed our residents are to uplifting the less fortunate.
Give Miami Day is more than just a fundraising effort — it’s a demonstration of the collective power of our community. It is a day when we set aside our look past the ways we differ and concentrate on the ways we can invest in the future of Miami together.
In an era where polarization and extremes can sometimes be the rule of the day, this is our annual reminder that we are stronger together. Every one of us has the ability to be a change-maker, no matter how big or small the contribution.
You don’t have to give a large sum to make an impact. No donation is too small.
How to participate
Visit the Give Miami Day website, choose the nonprofit(s) you want to support and make a donation in just a few clicks. From local food banks to animal rescue organizations, from environmental groups to mental health advocates, there’s a cause for everyone.
Click here to send the letter.