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Last year was not easy for most, but it was particularly hard on nonprofits.
Those relying on fundraising events to finance their programs were forced to apply for loans and grants to stay afloat. They saw first-hand how people and organizations took their annual contributions and redirected them towards organizations and people related to the pandemic. Many nonprofits even lost their deposits after having to cancel their annual fundraisers, and they found themselves having to assess all future programs.
Three South Florida non-profits with vastly different needs, addressed their individual challenges and did some creative thinking to create three notably different events that would follow proper COVID safety protocols and still raise funds. Whether it was a caravan of cars to an Oscar-winning-type night that went virtual or a fundraising luncheon held in the safety of everyone’s own home, these organization did it right.
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation South Florida Chapter relied on peer-to-peer fundraising via their signature Take Steps program, which engaged over 4,200 participants annually to walk and fundraise in support of their Foundation.
Holding a walk during this time of COVID was of particular concern, not just because the event could turn into a super spreader, but because people who suffer from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis already had a weakened immune system, which meant they would have a higher chance of catching the virus.
“Due to COVID-19, last year’s Take Steps Fort Lauderdale event was transformed into an entirely virtual concept,” said Katie Keohane, executive director. “We had hoped that in 2021 we would be able to resume our typical in-person walk format. But as we have seen our world has not yet gone back to normal. As a result, we couldn’t in good conscience put our friends, family and caregivers in that position, no matter how desperate we were to raise funds to find a cure and to improve the quality of life for children and adults affected by these diseases.”
As people started taking part in drive-by gatherings to celebrate birthdays and graduations, the team at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation came up with a similar theme to keep everyone safe in their vehicles, by turning this year’s Fort Lauderdale Take Steps into a Road Rally.
On May 15, 2021, people would be encouraged to bring their fundraising teams, but instead of committing to walking miles, they planned to provide a drive course where people could support the foundation and enjoy a morning full of family fun activities.
“We also made a stronger effort to go after potential partners who were able to make a substantial donation. I am particularly proud to have the Craig Zinn Automotive Group as our presenting sponsor. Given the road rally, it made sense to have them on board,” Katie added.
“The Zinn family has been touched by Crohn’s and Colitis for generations; it is our hope that a cure be found, and no future suffering be endured by any family,” said Craig Zinn, president, and CEO of The Craig Zinn Automotive Group.
In addition to providing sponsorship dollars, they plan on having two cars on display from Toyota of Hollywood and Lexus of Pembroke Pines, respectively. A prize will be offered to a road rally team or person that uploads a photo to social media with one of their vehicles on display. Calling it the #ZinnExperience, the automotive group provided two tickets to a Florida Panthers NHL hockey playoff game with a chauffeured ride to the game in a Lexus Limo.
Anna Wishneff, manager of Fundraising Campaigns & Volunteer Engagement with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation said that since its inception in 2011, Fort Lauderdale Take Steps has raised nearly $1.1 million for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Southern Florida chapter. “This year’s event has a fundraising goal of $65,000, which we are hoping to meet or exceed,” she added.
MCCJ, whose mission to advance understanding and respect among all cultures, religions, and races, would traditionally honor community leaders with the coveted Silver Medallion Award at its annual Humanitarian Awards Dinner, which also raised much-needed funds for youth programs, including Camp MetroTown.
“The 2020 edition of the dinner was also the year our organization celebrated 85 years of existence,” said Nestor Rodriguez, executive director. “It was originally scheduled for Mar. 14, but because of social distancing restrictions and protocols due to COVID-19, we rescheduled the dinner and turned the award presentation into a virtual event that took place on Nov. 22, 2020.”
The event was scripted and broadcasted via YouTube Live. It included video presentations of each Silver Medallion recipient, a candle lighting ceremony, musical numbers, and guest speakers. They enlisted the services of a production company who had experience doing live presentations and auctions and asked ABC’s Local 10 anchor Calvin Hughes to emcee the event.
“Following an impassioned keynote presentation by Pulitzer Prize winner Leonard Pitts, Jr. titled ‘This Moment in History,’ virtual guests enjoyed a musical performance of Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World performed by MetroTown alumnus Garrin Decembre,” Nestor added.
Through the generous support of the Miami Foundation and Miami-Dade County, MCCJ was able to pull it off, thereby honoring community leaders whose deeds and contributions to the community were concurrent with their mission of building an inclusive community. Over 150 guests dressed up and took part in what successfully combined the technology of Zoom with the live broadcasting and recording abilities of YouTube. More importantly MCCJ was able raise scholarship funds for Camp MetroTown.
Kristi House also went virtual with its 14th annual Breaking the Silence Luncheon presented by The Ortega Foundation. An in-person luncheon was their biggest challenge during this age of social distancing, so they creatively came up with a solution — to have Chef Michael Schwartz deliver the gourmet meal safely to everyone’s home. In addition, each attendee received a Kristi House Cares Bags with specially curated items for the pandemic and green living. The virtual luncheon took place on Oct. 29, 2020 and featured inspirational messages of healing and hope.
Veteran reporter and Emmy Award-winning journalist Ileana Bravo emceed the luncheon, and it was hosted by three gala co-chairs: Angelica Santibañez, Gloria Fonts Suarez, and Priscilla Marrero.
As guests enjoyed their meals and goodie bags in the comfort of their homes, attendees got to hear from several sexual abuse survivors including Kristi herself who shared her story of trauma to triumph and how she found healing at Kristi House.
“Our goal was to explain why even during this pandemic, their monetary support was now more important than ever to help children facing trauma during the lockdown,” said Amanda Altman, Kristi House CEO.
During this virtual luncheon, Kristi House was able to raise $102,000 to sustain programs and services to the most vulnerable children.
Aside from the need to raise funds, what these three nonprofits had in common was a desire to overcome their challenges. Each event was a money maker and a favorite among philanthropists in the past, so going a year without those funds would have had catastrophic consequences to their respective organization. In the end, each proved they could create a safe event, one that would engage the guests and serve as a memorable experience.
Both MCCJ and Kristi House learned that it was okay to focus on their key supporters, even during financially difficult times. As Nestor Rodriguez explained, people are hurting financially, but MCCJ must stay afloat. Therefore, it’s okay to fundraise, and it’s okay to ask for money.
The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation noticed an upsurge in teams, after they created a friendly competition and announced the #ZinnExperience giveaway.
“We found that adding this gamification element to our event has inspired more people to create teams and raise more money,” said Katie Keohane of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. “Just goes to show that some things are constant, even when everyone is doing their best to make changes, while navigating what can and can’t be done in our new world.”
