By SALINA POST
It's almost time for Match Madness, the annual giving day to benefit the Salina community.
The Greater Salina Community Foundation will host Match Madness on Thursday. The event at the Salina Fieldhouse, 140 N. Fifth Street, will include competitions, information, food trucks, and, of course, donations.
On Match Madness day, donations to any of the 88 participating charities with funds at the Greater Salina Community Foundation will be matched up to 50 percent. The list of participating charities can be found online at www.matchmadnessgscf.org.
Since the event’s inception in 2012, 5,499 donors have contributed a record-breaking total of $2,178,784.55 to 88 charities. The event's match and bonus grants total $926,819.41 and the total benefit exceeds $3.1 million to the community.
All donations made on March 24 will go to each charity’s endowed fund held at the Greater Salina Community Foundation. These funds are permanently invested to produce a steady stream of income charities can count on every year, which eases the pressure to raise annual funds, according to the community foundation.
Additionally, every gift to a nonprofit’s endowed fund will be matched proportionally up to 50 percent with a cash grant that the non-ptofit can access immediately to meet immediate needs. This year, there are $250,000 in matching funds, thanks to the generosity of private donors.
“This event is a win-win for everyone, and a great example of community collaboration. Donations of all sizes are pooled together to provide long-term support for our charities, and the match given can be used instantly by the charities to meet urgent needs,” said Jessica Martin, executive director of the Greater Salina Community Foundation.
Donors can give in one of the following three ways.
●In-person from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Salina Fieldhouse, 140 N. Fifth Street.
●Online at www.matchmadnessgscf.org from midnight to 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
●By mail donations postmarked by March 24 to GSCF, PO Box 2876, Salina, KS 67402-2876.
Match Madness 2022 is scheduled to include the following, according to the Greater Salina Community Foundation.
●Bill Grevas Memorial Nonprofit Free Throw Contest, sponsored by Salina Regional Health Foundation, during which nonprofit representatives will have one minute to shoot free throws for a chance to earn $100 in bonus cash for their organization. Competition starts at 11 a.m. and will run until 5 p.m. Come down to the fieldhouse and cheer on your favorite nonprofits.
●BE Wealth Half-Court Shot for Charity, in which nonprofit representatives will attempt to make a shot from half-court, and the winner will receive an extra $1,000 for their organization. Competition starts at 5:30 p.m. Come down to the fieldhouse and cheer on all the nonprofits.
●Food trucks, including Saddle Jack’s BBQ, Food by Bonnie, and Taco’s Food Truck will be serving food from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. outside of the Salina Fieldhouse.
●Nonprofit booths will be set up from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Visit the nonprofit booths and participate in the Greater Salina Community Foundation's Around the World booth contest. Get a stamp at five or more booths and be entered to win a special prize at the end of the event.
Additionally, those interested can also check live donation updates on the day of the event on the Greater Salina Community Foundation website.