First ever Match Day event raises more than $1.8 million for food and shelter agencies

Milwaukee, WI - March 9, 2012 -Thanks to the generosity of thousands in southeastern Wisconsin through the area's first Match Day event, $1,813,355.79 was raised to support 19 area food and shelter agencies.

The special online giving event, which was coordinated by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, raised $1,010,662 from 3,561 individuals to support three food programs and 16 area shelters. A special preview day for Foundation donors on March 7 raised $127,693.79. Each gift made will be proportionately matched with money from a $675,000 pool, resulting in the total of more than $1.8 million. The Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Brewers Community Foundation, The Ceres Foundation, Faye McBeath Foundation, United Way of Greater Milwaukee and several Foundation donor advised funds contributed to the pool.

"As president of our community's foundation, I want to thank everyone who generously donated to help our neighbors, as well as our Match Day partners," said Ellen Gilligan, president and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. "It is wonderful to see the compassion and commitment of our community."

Highlights from the 19-hour event:

• The first gift - a total of $50 to The Cathedral Center - was made 2 minutes after the event started at 5 a.m.
• The heaviest volume in terms of giving activity was between 7 and 8 a.m. and 7 and 8 p.m.
• A total of 5,023 donations were made through matchdaymke.org on March 8.
• The Milwaukee Rescue Mission raised the most of the participating agencies -
• 510 individual donors contributed $180,634
• The three food programs - Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Food Pantry of Waukesha County and the Hunger Task Force - raised a total of $296,351
• The 16 participating shelters raised a total of $640,603
• Through contests run on Facebook and the Match Day website, a total of 76 people won prizes generously donated by the Milwaukee Brewers and Time Warner Cable

The Brewers Community Foundation, Time Warner Cable, Clear Channel Outdoor, The Business Journal Serving Greater Milwaukee, Big Shoes Network, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 88.9 Radio Milwaukee, 414 Radio Network, Heritage Printing and the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee generously contributed in-kind support and prizes given to donors who participated in Match Day.

Participating Nonprofits

Center for Veterans Issues, Community Advocates, Daystar, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Food Pantry of Waukesha County, Friends of Abused Families, Guest House of Milwaukee, Hebron House of Hospitality, Hope Center, Hope House of Milwaukee, Hunger Task Force, Milwaukee Rescue Mission, Pathfinders Milwaukee, Repairers of the Breach, Salvation Army of Greater Milwaukee, Sojourner Family Peace Center, The Cathedral Center, Walker's Point Youth and Family Center and The Women's Center.

About Greater Milwaukee Foundation

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is a family of more than 1,000 individual charitable funds, each created by donors to serve the charitable causes of their choice. Grants from these funds serve people throughout Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties and beyond. Started in 1915, the Foundation is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the world.

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