When the Moab Valley Multicultural Center’s staff and volunteers set goals for this year’s Love Utah Give Utah fundraising event, 250 individual donors sounded to them like an ambitious but realistic target.
But that number turned out to be modest in hindsight. When the Community Foundation of Utah’s 24-hour online giving event ended on March 31, the multicultural center had amassed 449 donors, who contributed $10,393 altogether.
It was the second-highest total of the day, and the highest total of any rural-based group in the state. In fact, the center was the only rural nonprofit to land within the top five Love Utah Give Utah recipients, according to Moab Valley Multicultural Center Executive Director Rhiana Medina.
On top of the individual donations, the center received a $7,500 matching grant and a $5,000 Community Foundation of Utah prize for its statewide ranking, bringing its fundraising total to $22,893.
“This year, we proved we have great support both within and outside of Moab,” Medina said. “Our staff is extremely hardworking, creative and dedicated to the mission, and it shows.”
The center offers cultural outreach and educational activities, as well as language and life skills classes. It also sponsors the Amigos Club at Grand County High School, helps adults prepare for driving tests and offers Spanish language classes for adults and children.
“The center is often a lifeline for people who don’t know where else to go,” Medina said. “And thanks to the generous contributions from so many, we can help more people in need.”
The center was just one of many groups that benefited from the one-day fundraiser.
According to the Community Foundation of Utah, 15,491 people across the state donated a total of $1,229,800 to 463 nonprofit organizations and schools during the overall Love Utah Give Utah event. Contributions poured in at a rate of $51,242 every hour, $854 every minute and $14.23 every second, the foundation reported.
449 donors contribute during online fundraising event
To learn more about this year’s event, go to loveutgiveut.razoo.com/giving_events/UT16/home.
