With more than 680 gifts made during the 2021 Daemen Day of Giving, the college more than doubled its previous record for donations during the annual 24-hour event.
Going live just after midnight on Tuesday, April 20, response to the campaign was immediate and unmistakable. An initial goal of 350 total donations was reached before noon—already surpassing the college’s Day of Giving record of 299 donations, set in 2019.
“This is a tribute to the strength of the college and an endorsement of our momentum and success through the pandemic,” said Gary Olson, president of Daemen. “These generous gifts are also an investment in the institution’s future, which is as bright as ever.”
Donors could choose to focus their gifts on one of four areas of emphasis: student scholarships, athletics, critical support services, and student support.
“The day brings together the Daemen community—on a local and national level—in such a unique and positive way,” said Jill Robins, associate vice president for advancement and special events.
“This teamwork helps the college boost efforts to help students with unexpected economic hardships, offers support for student-athletes, and will aid study abroad opportunities, just to name a few,” Robins added.
The response this year is noteworthy for coming nearly two years after the last event of its kind; this spring tradition—founded in 2017—was not held last spring, given the onset of the pandemic.
In 2021, participation among alums, students, trustees, faculty and staff also surpassed previous levels and projections—an especially impressive feat given the two-year span between the college’s last day-of-giving event and Tuesday’s record-setting effort.
“Every donor counts,” said Kara Kane, director of annual giving and stewardship. “Every contribution truly makes an impact.”