The 4th annual UMC Giving Tuesday netted $853,909 to support God’s mission around the world.
Nov. 30, 2016—More than 2,550 persons in 19 countries contributed a total of $853,909.78 to United Methodist mission projects and missionary support through the 2016 UMC #GivingTuesday campaign.
“This is an outcome to celebrate, especially since this year we did not offer any matching grants as we have done on the past three annual Giving Tuesdays,” said Thomas Kemper, chief executive of the denomination’s worldwide mission agency, the General Board of Global Ministries, which includes the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).
Of the total this year, $751,281.57 was given for 446 mission projects and 156 gifts totaling $102,628.21 for missionary support through The Advance, the United Methodist designated mission giving channel. One hundred percent of every Advance gift goes to the designated ministry.
In terms of overall mission giving, the 2016 UMC #GivingTuesday result was almost twice that of any single day’s non-Giving Tuesday receipts of the past. That record was set by $492,000 contributed to UMCOR on one day in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
“United Methodists believe in the support of God’s mission around the world,” Kemper said, “and Giving Tuesday has become an important occasion to show that commitment. Also, the annual event has become a teaching instrument for helping Advance projects develop their own fundraising tools, including matching grant programs.”
Kemper also noted that Global Ministries was one of the first faith-based organizations to use Giving Tuesday as a way to provide public education on its work and as a convenient means for giving to worthy causes online. “We are pleased to have helped to lead the way in the productive development of Giving Tuesday for religious purposes.”
Last year, Giving Tuesday brought in $2.8 million, with Global Ministries matching the first million. The 2014 amount was $2.5 million, with match. In 2013, Global Ministries led the Giving Tuesday field with more than ten thousand gifts totaling $6.5 million, with the first $500,000 matched.
This year, the donors made 3,792 gifts. The 19 countries or territories represented include Argentina, Austria, Chile, Cote d’Ivoire, Fiji, Guam, Ireland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Last Updated on December 12, 2016