Courtesy Photo Grant the Giving Tuesday Golden Goose is ready to go to the nonprofit that raised the most on Giving Tuesday.

ALPENA — In its first year of participating in the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan’s Giving Tuesday campaign, the Alpena Community College Foundation earned the top spot, raising $39,105 during the 24-hour giving event.

With the recognition comes the privilege of hosting Grant the Giving Tuesday Golden Goose for the next year. Grant became a part of Alpena’s Giving Tuesday tradition in 2017.

In total, the CFNEM helped raise $365,387 for over 60 local nonprofits on Nov. 30, surpassing last year’s total by over $132,000.

“We didn’t really see that coming, but it was pretty awesome,” said Christine Hitch, CFNEM marketing and communications director. “I think we have to give the credit to the nonprofits. They’ve engaged their supporters over the years to tell their stories.”

She added that Giving Tuesday itself is gaining momentum each year.

“The event itself is growing worldwide and locally,” Hitch said. “I think people realize they can be a part of something a lot bigger than themselves, and I think that inspires people to join in.”

ACC Foundation Executive Director Brenda Herman was amazed with the community support.

“We were thrilled and shocked,” Herman said. “We are grateful to all the donors who support us. This is a win for the the Northeast Michigan nonprofits who participated.”

In 2020, the ACC Foundation raised $29,000 on Giving Tuesday, on its own.

“This is the first year we’ve participated through the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan,” Herman said. “We decided, this year, to give it a try, and it was awesome.”

The CFNEM is in its seventh year of providing the platform for local nonprofits to participate in the global Giving Tuesday movement.

“We are never quite sure what to expect with each year’s campaign,” CFNEM Executive Director Patrick Heraghty said in a press release. “One thing we never doubt is the generosity of our community. That generosity shined bright for this Giving Tuesday once again.”

Giving Tuesday follows the widely recognized shopping events, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, offering a dedicated day for charitable giving as the holiday season kicks off. The hope for this worldwide movement is that people will set aside a few minutes, and perhaps some shopping money, to give back to their community through the charities and causes they support, the release explained.

Nonprofits from Alcona, Alpena, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties participated in the event through the CFNEM and its three affiliate foundations, which provided the online platform, marketing tools and all recording efforts, free of charge, to the participating organizations. Every penny of each donation received is going directly to the organization chosen by the donor.

The CFNEM held a virtual Zoom and Facebook Live event on Monday to announce the final totals, and totals raised for each individual organization. While anyone observing the foundation’s website on Giving Tuesday saw the gift counter stop at just above $160,000, the final totals include donations to all participants and the community foundation’s funds on Giving Tuesday, as well as walk-in donations.

Funds raised on Giving Tuesday will help the organization with scholarships, emergency funds for students, food assistance, department support, and more. Grant will spend the upcoming year representing the ACC Foundation and will move in 2023 to the nonprofit that raises the most funds during Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan next year.

“One of the best things about this giving event is that there is a story of caring and compassion behind every single donation received,” Heraghty said in the release. “It is great to see our community show up with such incredible support for the nonprofits tirelessly serving Northeast Michigan. Everyone who donated, no matter the size of the gift, should take pride in knowing they are part of that.”

Heraghty also noted that, as has been true the last few years, the Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan movement has a ripple effect, with many organizations reporting donations given prior to and after the event, as well as some donations earning matching gifts that come in later, all in the spirit of Giving Tuesday. Those totals are not included in CFNEM’s overall count, but Heraghty says the number easily eclipses an additional $20,000.

Rounding out the recipients are: Huron Humane Society with $22,002, the Boys and Girls Club of Alpena with $19,010, the CFNEM Community Impact Fund with $16,446, Northeast Michigan Women’s Giving Circle with $15,635, Friends Together with $14,515, Friends of Hubard Lake Center with $13,065, Hope Shores Alliance with $12,940, Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeast Michigan with $11,370, MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena (MyMichigan) with $11,255, Presque Isle Township Museum Society with $10,185, Art in the Loft with $9,665, Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary with $8,210, Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan with $7,515, Rea Family Animal Shelter $7,492, Alpena Youth Sailing Club with $7,445, Salvation Army Alpena with $6,820, Friends of Plaza Pool with $6,693, Thunder Bay River Center with $6,690, Ogemaw County Historical Museum with $6,545, Friends of Aplex Courts with $6,255, Habitat for Humanity Northeast Michigan with $5,965, West Branch-Rose City Schools Educational Support Partnership with $5,675, Thunder Bay Arts Council with $5,465, CFNEM Kellogg Youth Fund with $5,200, Northern Michigan Children’s Assessment Center with $5,000, Friends of Negwegon State Park with $4,330, Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative with $4,155, Alcona Humane Society with $3,985, God Loves You Food Pantry with $3,845, Thunder Bay Trails Association with $3,190, Thunder Bay Theatre with $3,025, HeadWaters Land Conservancy with $2,780, Association of Lifelong Learners with $2,755, West Branch First United Methodist Church GAP Ministries with $2,715, D&R Acres Hobby & Rescue Farm with $2,387, Great Lakes Great Responsibility with $2,120, Friends of Tawas Point Lighthouse and State Park with $2,095, Pegasus Springs Therapeutic Riding Center with $1,920, Liberty’s Dream Animal Rescue with $1,902, Presque Isle County Historical Museum with $1,390, Alpena Street Performers with $1,155, St. Paul Lutheran Church Day Care Program wiith $965, Hillman Community Schools with $925, Iosco Exploration Trail with $925, Claws and Paws Rescue with $837, Alcona Community Schools Backpack Program with $790, Rayola, Inc. with $680, Crawford County Commission on Aging with $644, Elk Country Animal Shelter with $632, Friends of East Tawas Library with $575, PoWeR! Book Bags with $455, Iosco County Community Foundation Community Improvement Fund with $450, Nature’s Kingdom Wildlife Rescue with $382, Sunrise Side Lifelong Learning with $350, Crawford County Community Christian Help Center with $325, Lydia’s Gate with $320, Harbor Lights Pregnancy & Information Center with $175, Mackinaw Woman’s Club with $175, Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association with $150, Mackinaw Area Historical Society with $150, North Central Michigan Community Foundation Community Impact Funds with $100, Nor-East’r Music and Arts Festival with $100, Human Trafficking Community Group with $70, Coalition of H.O.P.E. with $50, and the Straits Area Community Foundation Community Impact Fund with $40.

An additional $22,510 was received through the 500+ funds at CFNEM and its affiliate foundations, making up the $365,387 total.