This year’s Giving Tuesday event organized by the Golden Belt Community Foundation raised $533,217 in charitable contributions, topping last year’s record-breaking $300,000.
The Top 10 recipients were announced Thursday when the GBCF hosted a Great Bend Chamber Coffee at the St. Patrick Parish Center:
1- Kansas oil and gas $150,550
2- Prince of Peace $53,130
3- Holy Family $31,930
4- Stafford County Economic Development $13,100
5- Prairie Godmother Endowment $12,300
6- United Way of Central Kansas $10,335
7- Community Food Bank of Barton County $10,330
8- Meals on Wheels of Barton County $7,650
9- GPS Kids Club $7,410
10- Golden Belt Humane Society $7,220
GBCF Executive Director Jason Murray commented that the event shows “it takes a village to make our community thrive.”
Development & Communications Coordinator Macenzie Mitchell said 150 charitable groups were on the list that people could donate to this year, “which was more than we’ve ever had.” More people are already calling about being added in 2025, she said.
There were four ways to donate: online, by mail, at designed bank boxes and in person.
Celebrated on the Tuesday following U.S. Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday inspires millions of people across the globe to show up and give back to causes and issues that matter to them. This is the 11th year for GBCF to organize a Giving Tuesday campaign benefiting charities and endowed funds in Barton, Pawnee, Rush and Stafford counties.
The foundation again received a $70,000 matching grant from the Patterson Family Foundation, which was included in the total. Giving Tuesday donations will be going straight to organizations or growing the organizations' endowment funds.
It was also Year Six for the Most Generous City Award, which was calculated with gift totals by zip code per capita. Great Bend Received the 2024 Most Generous City award, and the foundation will make a grant of $1,000 for a program or project in that community. No community can win two years in a row or more than two years total.
