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Minnesotans’ generosity on this year’s Give to the Max Day surpassed the previous record by almost $3 million. It’s a pleasant surprise for Give MN’s executive director Jake Blumberg, who said he had concerns given the current divisive economic climate.

“I think we all know right now that prices have been high at checkout lanes throughout our lives and nonprofits have been experiencing the same thing,” Blumberg said. “ And it seems to us that donors really recognized that and wanted to step up to help the organizations that help their neighbors.”

In 2020, Give MN saw the state break $30 million in donations, and it’s been consistently increasing since then. Blumberg said this shows Minnesotans care deeply about one another and Give to the Max gives them a chance to find common ground. 

This year saw more donations than years before and in higher amounts. The average donation went from $117 over the last few years to $134.

“Will that trend continue? We sure hope it does, because the need for support from donors is going to continue to be at historic levels,” he said. “We know the need has only grown since 2020 and it’s certainly anticipated to continue growing. So hopefully donors continue to meet that challenge.”

Nationally, donation trends have plateaued, but Blumberg says Minnesota has been an outlier since the pandemic.

“There have been multiple years now where other giving events, like Give to the Max Day and other giving trends around individual donors have showed declines, and Minnesota has bucked those national trends, and this is one of those years,” Blumberg said.

Blumberg said people give based on their values. Compared to previous years, more contributions were made to organizations that prioritized direct and social services, in addition to hunger relief organizations and those supporting unsheltered people and animals.

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Kyra Miles

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Minnesotans donated over $37 million to more than 6,500 Minnesota nonprofits and schools on Thursday.

Set of black opened envelope and cash dollars

Minnesotans break their own record with $37 million donated to local nonprofits on Give to the Max Day

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