Mixed results at GiveNOLA Day, Federation places third again
For the second year in a row, GiveNOLA Day on May 2 was down slightly from the previous year, with some Jewish institutions seeing increases and some seeing decreases.
Overall, the 24-hour online fundraiser coordinated by the Greater New Orleans Foundation raised $7.779 million through 54,561 donations to 951 organizations, according to preliminary numbers. Last year’s event raised $7.91 million through 57,700 donations to 947 organizations. There were 15 organizations in the Jewish community that participated.
The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans continued its run of coming in third overall, with $210,427 from 209 donors. Last year the Federation had just under $258,000 in donations from 239 donors. Last year, though, the Federation was unable to hold its annual Super Sunday because of the waning days of the pandemic, so GiveNOLA Day became the only major public giving opportunity in 2022.
This year, the Federation held Super Sunday on Feb. 5, raising $220,581 from 284 donors. “Even after the large number of donations we received on the 2023 Super Sunday, we still had huge participation” in GiveNOLA, said Sherri Tarr, Federation COO, who is in charge of the 2023 Annual Campaign. Additionally, seven volunteers did a “clean up phoneathon” on GiveNOLA Day, raising $40,000 from 58 donors.
Tarr said the Federation is well on its way toward a goal of $2.6 million for this year’s campaign, and “the Federation is immensely grateful to our New Orleans Jewish community for their generosity and support.”
As the third-place Large organization, the Federation earned a $2,500 bonus. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art reclaimed its usual top spot from Louise McGehee School, with the museum seeing a hefty increase to $368,411, outpacing the school’s $343,218.
Team Gleason and Son of a Saint were fourth and fifth, and Isidore Newman School dropped from fifth to sixth, with $161,517 from 104 donors, down about $10,000 from the previous year. There were only eight organizations that hit six figures, down from last year’s 12.
The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience continued its climb, rising from 43rd to 37th with $33,112 from 109 donors, about a $2,000 increase.
Jewish Community Day School almost doubled its take, going from $13,492 to $26,044, placing 58th, with 107 donors. They had the second highest total among educational institutions in Jefferson Parish. The Anti-Defamation League was 70th with $21,490 from 72 donors, a slight decrease from last year.
Jewish Children’s Regional Service rose to 187th with $9,453 from 72 donors, up $2,000 from last year. Avodah has a significant increase, to $9,228 from 25 donors and 192nd place, up from $5,519 from 27 donors last year.
Tulane Hillel’s donations fell by half, to $5,024 and 300th place, but the national Hillel Giving Week with its own website and matching funds was taking place at the same time.
National Council of Jewish Women had $4,844 from 42 donors for 321st place, down a little from last year. Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans also slipped, to 324th with $4,429 from 49 donors, down from $5,729 from 65 donors last year. The agency will have a 75th anniversary gala in June.
The New Orleans Jewish Community Center was next at 325th, with $4,403 from 63 donors.
Hadassah New Orleans rose from $731 to $1,174, placing 605th with 19 donors.
Gates of Prayer in Metairie raised $961, Shir Chadash raised $785, Temple Sinai took in $751 and Slater Torah Academy raised $517. Northshore Jewish Congregation in Mandeville and Beth Israel Menorah Academy did not participate.
All organizations will also receive a bonus from the Lagniappe Fund, where funds from the day’s sponsors are allocated to the participating organizations based on how much they raised.
There were also Rock Around The Clock bonuses in all three organization size categories, with all groups that had a donation in that particular hour eligible for a $500 prize, selected at random. For the third year in a row, none of the Jewish organizations received one.
(Updated 5/11 with Super Sunday information and quotes from Federation).
