The best time you gave us over $5,000

You people (YOU PEOPLE!) are unbelievable.

Back in December we issued a challenge – not just to you but to ourselves, curious and a bit nervous to see if we could raise enough money in just a single month to give each of our partners the item they most needed this winter.

We are ecstatic to announce that we not only met, but exceeded our goal!

This makes me feel feelings. 

Between the Facebook campaign that raised $1 for every new fan, several extremely generous matching donors, loyal friends and supporters tweeting, blogging, throwing in a few dollars when they could, and a legion of anonymous do-gooders, we managed more than enough to deliver the goods to 30 Chicago nonprofits that provide invaluable services to thousands of Chicagoans yearly.

We want to give a particularly zealous thank you to Todd and Martha Martin, Francis and Irene Reynolds, and Solomon Barnett for their generosity and selflessness – we could not have met our goal without their bleeding hearts and matching donations. For the two matching donors who chose to remain anonymous  – my goodness! The only thing we love as much as collaborative philanthropy is a good old-fashioned mystery. Whoever you are, we think we love you.

Thanks to all of you:

• Community TV Network will get a green screen, upping their segments’ production values and giving youth greater access to media technologies;
• Chicago House will have more bedding to provide for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS;
• Toddlers will be kept warm at the Ravenswood Community Child Care Center;
• and over at New Moms, Inc, young mothers will have plenty of diapers for their infants.

We promise to keep you updated as we purchase and deliver your gifts to organizations across Chicago, and to track how much good these items will catalyze and support.

Just know for now, friends, that we are as ever immeasurably grateful for your support and your relentless impulse to do a little good.