Hundreds of community members from across the country rallied around Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports’ #GivingTuesday 2021 fundraising campaign yesterday, raising more than $200,000 for the organization’s year-round adaptive sports and recreational programs and athlete scholarships. Generosity prevailed for the second #GivingTuesday of the global pandemic, as the organization had its best #GivingTuesday results, raising $67,000 more than last year’s $135,000 tally. Vermont Adaptive has participated in the global initiative since 2014.
“We are very humbled and grateful and a bit overwhelmed at the outpouring of kindness and giving this year,” said Erin Fernandez, executive director of the nationally recognized non-profit. “We know times continue to be so hard for so many. Our programs are so important to so many athletes with disabilities, now more than ever. This community has just blown me away. We are grateful for the amazing support for athletes, our programs and our mission.”
This year, the organization harnessed the generosity of a collective matching donation of $50,000 from The Sills Family Foundation, the Kimpton Family Fund, Dave and Melissa Baker, and Sarah DeBlois and Arthur Sills. The goal was to raise at least $135,000 in hopes of surpassing last year’s total. All monies raised will go toward supporting a $1.5 million operating budget for 2022, which includes $350,000 needed from individuals, business and foundations..
“We serve all ages and all people with any type of disability and that includes not only physical disabilities but also developmental, cognitive and emotional behavioral disabilities,” said Fernandez. “Our mission to empower people of all abilities through inclusive sports and recreational programming regardless of their ability to pay remains today as it did when we began in 1987. We’ve been doing this for more than 30 years, and with donors like we had on Giving Tuesday, we’ll keep on going for the next 30.”The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is a global day dedicated to giving back. #GivingTuesday follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday with the goal of celebrating generosity and encouraging people to give during the holiday season. It was created to inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes that they support and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday harnesses the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping.
To make a donation, donate online at vermontadaptive.org. Phone donations can be made with a credit card by calling 802.786.4991 ext. 14. Donations made by check can be sent, noted with #GivingTuesday in the memo, to Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, PO Box 139, Killington, VT 05751.
“We are very humbled and grateful and a bit overwhelmed at the outpouring of kindness and giving this year,” said Erin Fernandez, executive director of the nationally recognized non-profit. “We know times continue to be so hard for so many. Our programs are so important to so many athletes with disabilities, now more than ever. This community has just blown me away. We are grateful for the amazing support for athletes, our programs and our mission.”
This year, the organization harnessed the generosity of a collective matching donation of $50,000 from The Sills Family Foundation, the Kimpton Family Fund, Dave and Melissa Baker, and Sarah DeBlois and Arthur Sills. The goal was to raise at least $135,000 in hopes of surpassing last year’s total. All monies raised will go toward supporting a $1.5 million operating budget for 2022, which includes $350,000 needed from individuals, business and foundations..
“We serve all ages and all people with any type of disability and that includes not only physical disabilities but also developmental, cognitive and emotional behavioral disabilities,” said Fernandez. “Our mission to empower people of all abilities through inclusive sports and recreational programming regardless of their ability to pay remains today as it did when we began in 1987. We’ve been doing this for more than 30 years, and with donors like we had on Giving Tuesday, we’ll keep on going for the next 30.”The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is a global day dedicated to giving back. #GivingTuesday follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday with the goal of celebrating generosity and encouraging people to give during the holiday season. It was created to inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes that they support and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday harnesses the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping.
To make a donation, donate online at vermontadaptive.org. Phone donations can be made with a credit card by calling 802.786.4991 ext. 14. Donations made by check can be sent, noted with #GivingTuesday in the memo, to Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, PO Box 139, Killington, VT 05751.
