The Golden Belt Community Foundation hosted the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce Coffee Thursday morning to celebrate the results of Giving Tuesday Nov. 28. It used the event to give away over $170,000 to area non-profit entities, just in time for Christmas.

The presentations took place the Prince of Peace Parish Center in Great Bend. Foundation Executive Director Christy Tustin said $152,164 was donated on Giving Tuesday, which when coupled with $25,000 in match money, totaled $177,164 for local charities.

There were 60 GBCF endowed funds that received donations. The top-ten charities that picked up the most donations, in order, included:

• Almost Home Inc.

• Prairie Godmother Funds

• Barton County Emergency Aid Association

• Holy Family School

• First Christian Church of Great Bend

• Kans for Kids Fighting Cancer

• Prince of Peace Parish

• FOREVER Rush County

• United Way of Central Kansas

• Family Crisis Center. 

With a goal of 1,000 donors, Tustin said there were 1,477 local impacts on Giving Tuesday. In other words, between the 526 donors, around 944 students who donated change, and the money from giving boxes at seven businesses, over 1,000 people contributed.

And while Giving Tuesday has passed, donors choose the GBCF to help with their charitable giving in many ways, Tustins aid. During the coffee, GBCF representatives described a number of other efforts to give back to the local area, including assisting individuals and families in need and competitive grants.

This marks the fourth year for the local Giving Tuesday observance, Tustin said. “It’s been working like we expected. People are embracing it and we are excited.”

GBCF serves Barton, Pawnee, Rush, and Stafford counties. For more information, call 620-792-3000 or visit www.goldenbeltcf.org.