Feb. 22 marked Meredith’s 7th annual “Make It Count for Meredith” day, a day of giving dedicated to donating “in honor of a strong woman.” Meredith’s goal was to raise $750,000, but by the end of Feb. 22 they surpassed that goal by more than $400,000, raising a total of over $1.16 million and setting a record for Giving Day donations.
Last year, the college had set a goal to raise $600,000 in 24 hours. By midnight, the 2,698 donors had exceeded the fundraising goal by more than $150,000 dollars. Because of this success, Meredith set a higher goal for Giving Day 2022.
Erin Cleghorn, Director of the Meredith Fund, attributes a large portion of the day’s success to the alumnae class gift agents and to volunteers. Cleghorn explained that these volunteers and agents “send messages to their classes, set challenges and goals and update their classes throughout the day.” Similarly, the Alumnae Association brings “creativity and energy [that] make[s] a big difference,” according to Cleghorn.
Cleghorn said that to her, that the annual event is a “great way to pay it forward to the next generation.” She said she also believes Giving Day is important because it “gets [Meredith’s] alumnae excited about giving back to Meredith College.”
“They use it as an opportunity to honor the friendships they’ve made and the teachers who inspired them,” Cleghorn added.
After Giving Day, Cleghorn noted that it is a time to give thanks to all those who contributed during the 24 hours. “We want our donors to know how much we appreciate them and are grateful for their support,” she said.
By Shae-Lynn Henderson, Staff Writer