#WoodsGivingDay, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College’s (SMWC) annual day of giving, will take place Tuesday, Feb. 9. The College has added new features including more community outreach.
The event was previously held on Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Jenifer Wright ’17, director of annual giving, said the pivot away from Giving Tuesday has been a common theme among institutions.
“Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is growing in so many ways,” she said. “We felt like we had so much more we could say, so we thought moving it would help us get our message across in a bigger way. We are really excited to see what this means for us and the future of the College.”
Students, faculty and staff will gather in the Woods Student Center located in Rooney Library, allowing for physical distancing, to host its sixth annual #WoodsGivingDay. The day of giving contributes to the Woods Fund, the unrestricted fund that is essential to the College’s operating budget. The donations directly impact students – whether it is through scholarships or renovations of buildings around campus.
The goal for #WoodsGivingDay is 500 unique donors in 24 hours. Catherine Saunders ’98, associate vice president for advancement, said it is a significant day for the fundraising for the College.
“It’s critical. Six years ago, we were so fortunate to have more than 260 alums and friends give and raised $48,000. Last year, we had more than 500 donors when we had a goal of 400, and raised almost $150,000 in one day,” Saunders said. “Our day of giving has grown steadily each year. I know that 2021 will continue to garner even more participation and support for the College. I look forward to a fun day connecting with alumni and friends.”
For this year’s event, the College has partnered with several Terre Haute businesses. Federal Coffee + Fine Foods, 5th Street Nutrition, Culvers and Chick-fil-A will give back a portion of their proceeds on Feb. 9 to The Woods. Little Bear Coffee Co. will give back proceeds for a special “SMWC Bear Bomb” from Feb. 9-14.
Another new feature this year is the social media tool kit, found on SMWC’s website. It provides materials to be posted on social media platforms such as images, text and more. These tools will help reach and engage more of the community.
“We would love to not only replicate past success, but to smash through the 500 donor goal,” Saunders said.