According to northtexasgivingday.org, North Texas Giving Day is an online event that helps nonprofits in the community. This event allows nonprofits to benefit financially through donations and also gives them the opportunity to meet new donors. In six years, North Texas Giving Day has given more than $86 million to the North Texas community. In 2014, more than 98,000 gifts totaling $26.3 million benefited 1,580 nonprofits.

This is the third year that Wesleyan has participated, said Martha Earngey, director of annual giving at Wesleyan.

“Between 6 a.m. and midnight donors go online to [NorthTexasGivingDay.org] and select their charity of choice and make any donation of 25 dollars or more and it is multiplied,” said Earngey.

“Texas Wesleyan donors gave $25,635 in charitable support through the North Texas Giving Day campaign,” Earngey wrote in an email.

Earngey also wrote that this year, “we also have the Morton challenge. This year in honor of Texas Wesleyan’s 125^th anniversary, Jack Morton, an alum from the class of 1943, has pledged to match dollar-for-dollar all new and increased gifts to the Wesleyan Fund up to $125,000.”

According to txwes.edu, donations can benefit the university 3 ways:

• Funds scholarships. Scholarships are based on academic merit and assist students with financial need.
• Strengthens programs– Wesleyan Fund gifts go to strengthen academic programming, which increases the value of a Texas Wesleyan degree.
• Increases participation– Major foundations review alumni participation before giving.

Increasing participation is “very good,” according to the website.

DeAwna Wood, director of alumni relations, said that the university wants to get students involved in North Texas Giving Day.

“We also want to raise awareness for students so they can see what the alumni association is all about,” Wood said. “They can stop by the library between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to pick up snacks, learn what the alumni association is all about, write a postcard to thank a donor, and we will have a Wesleyan giveaway.”

Darren White, vice president of marketing and communications wrote in an email that NTGD is the best time for alumni and friends to give all year, and is very important to Wesleyan.

“The Wesleyan community — and all of North Texas — is very philanthropic, and this is a great time to prove that to be true,” White wrote. “Even a $5 gift helps the University reach its goals. We’re seeing increased giving this year and want to see that positive momentum keep building!”