Giving Challenge accepted in Lakewood Ranch

The Mark Wandall Foundation had to turn away at least 16 teenagers and young adults at its camp in March because there wasn’t enough space.

Melissa Wandall, founder and executive director of the nonprofit, was devastated and knew the nonprofit’s camp was a needed service in East County. Funding, though, has been an issue because it had to cancel its biggest fundraiser of the year in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

But after collecting $23,683 during the Giving Challenge on April 28-29, Wandall said the money will ensure they will be able to host grieving children at a camp in 2021.

“It feels like people understand why we’re doing what we’re doing,” Wandall said. “Last year we had 100 donations. This year we had 140. We may have had smaller donations, but it goes to show that our community truly does understand the value of serving our children in grief and why they need our services.”

The Giving Challenge was crucial to many nonprofits that are seeing decreases in revenue and donations and have had to cut programming as a result of COVID-19.

Sarasota-Manatee Association for Riding Therapy received $47,412 in the Giving Challenge, which will feed the nonprofit’s 15 horses for three months.

“We were in pure tears because we know we live in a wonderful community, but this surpassed all of our expectations,” said Rebecca Blitz, the executive director of SMART. “I know we live in an extremely giving community like no other, but we are over the moon and elated of how blessed we are.”

Blitz said the Giving Challenge created opportunities for SMART to work with other nonprofits.

“Our community partnerships that we are creating is going to be a huge asset for everyone,” she said.

Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee raised the second highest amount of money out of the 687 nonprofits that participated in the Giving Challenge. Meals on Wheels raised $295,320.

“Our work is important every day but especially during this time, where seniors are impacted, and the need for food is so high,” said Amy Towery, Meals on Wheels’ vice president of development. 

Towery said the food banks supported by the Food Bank of Manatee are drawing 65% more food than this time last year.

“There’s such a high need for food in the community right now,” Towery said. “We are focusing our efforts on food for seniors, food through the food bank for pantries and partner agencies and also food for families through direct distributions.”

Dari Oglesby, executive director of Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue, was shocked at the support ($153,960) the rescue received during the Giving Challenge.

“We’re absolutely humbled by it,” she said. “We knew we had a lot of adopters and a lot of supporters but didn’t feel it was the right time to reach out like we would normally do. They just came through for us.”

The rescue has 100 animals in its care as of April 30 and will continue to do adoptions by appointment as well as curbside pickup and delivery for food while the shelter remains closed. All the money raised during the Giving Challenge will go toward saving animals.

The Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch exceeded expectations by raising $48,235.

“We were thrilled because it allows us to be able to fund our environment and allows us to be able to save more animals,” said Cindy Jackson, a Humane Society board member.