Pictured: Jessica Muroff (left), Debra Jacobs. Provided photo.

Something I know about this community is that when we are called upon to support our nonprofits, we don’t just show up, we Show Up. The generosity, selflessness and passion our community has for helping—all of those qualities were on full display during last month’s Giving Challenge.

It was the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s 10th challenge, with major support from our friends at The Patterson Foundation, which once again matched every unique individual donation between $25 and $100, and the results were impressive.

More than 50,800 donors made more than 87,000 gifts during the 24 hours of the challenge held April 15-16, generating more than $16.7 million for a record 751 participating nonprofits. That’s 50,800 people who made the decision to make a difference for our region’s nonprofits and the people they serve.

The gifts came in all sizes, from $25 to major investments. One Sarasota couple joined what we call the “100 Percent Club” this year by donating $100 to every single organization that took part in the challenge. Their anonymous $75,100 gift was fully matched by The Patterson Foundation, bringing the couple’s total impact to $150,200. That kind of broad generosity shows deep faith in the work of local cause leaders and inspires others to step up and give in whatever ways they can.

Just like the gifts, the organizations that benefited from this year’s challenge came in all sizes, and the missions they advance vary widely. When I look at the list of the 10 organizations that raised the most funds this year, I’m struck by the variety of causes our community supported, from science and education (Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium), hunger relief (All Faiths Food Bank) and animal welfare (Satchel’s Last Resort, Suncoast Humane Society, Cat Depot and Dogs Inc.) to arts and culture (Venice Theatre), humanitarian aid (Galatians 6:2, Agape Flights) and programming for youth and seniors (The Center of Anna Maria Island). Your generosity fuels those organizations’ missions and makes our community stronger in so many ways.

Money raised through the Giving Challenge is unrestricted, meaning that nonprofits can apply those funds to whatever their most pressing needs might be. Because of that, the impact of your generosity will be felt in myriad ways for months and years to come, as these organizations responsibly steward your donations to maximize their work. The Giving Challenge may only last 24 hours, but what happens in that window can last a lifetime.

To every person who gave, to every nonprofit that joined in, to every volunteer, every board member, every supporter, I thank you. You are what makes this community so special.

Jessica Muroff is the president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

Pictured: Jessica Muroff (left), Debra Jacobs. Provided photo.