GivingTuesday provided supporters the opportunity to invest directly in St. Thomas More. By donating the cost of an item on the school’s GiveSmart fundraising website, supporters “purchased” this equipment, service, or experience for St. Thomas More faculty and students.

 

Items and experiences funded by donors on GivingTuesday include a senior field trip to see Romeo and Juliet performed by the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, participation in a FIRST Robotics Competition regional event, and several pieces of exercise equipment for our fitness center.

 

“[The Teacher Wish List] helps bridge the gap for the students to have some hands-on learning experiences and really gives them an opportunity to express their creativity,” St. Thomas More science department chair Marcie Greenberg said in a video. GivingTuesday donors funded several STEM requests, including items for biology, chemistry, physics, math, environmental science, engineering, robotics, and biomedical science.

 

St. Thomas More has participated in GivingTuesday since 2014, with donors contributing over $180,000 in total during those campaigns. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our alumni, parents, and other supporters, St. Thomas More has met its GivingTuesday fundraising goal each year.

 

“The items and experiences funded on GivingTuesday represent direct investments in our classrooms,” St. Thomas More president John Hoch said. “We are incredibly grateful for all the work our teachers and coaches do for our students, and it is inspiring that donors have recognized and celebrated this hard work during this campaign.”

 

Nationally, GivingTuesday 2024 broke records for both total money raised and overall participation. Initial estimates show that giving in the United States on GivingTuesday 2024 totaled $3.6 billion, and 36.1 million adults participated in some way, contributing critical support to causes, communities, and non-profit organizations as they kick off the giving season this year.

 

“This year’s record-breaking donations and participation demonstrate the incredible power of collective action,” Asha Curran, GivingTuesday’s Chief Executive Officer, said in the organization’s press release. “When millions unite with a shared purpose, we don’t just give what we can—we create real, tangible change. Each donation, each act of generosity, is a building block for community solutions that actually make a difference.”