Steven Michael Carr, Development Director of Highlands Community Ministries, reflects on the success of our most recent Give for Good Louisville campaign.
They call me the “Give for Good Guru.” I’ve been participating in Give for Good Louisville since its very first year (when it was called Give Local Louisville). It’s my Super Bowl. And just like with any big game, the week leading up to it is usually full of nerves. The night before, I’m often a wreck!
My head spins with questions: Will people show up? Did we set up our peer-to-peer fundraising advocates for success? Will we hit our goal? I hardly sleep because of the adrenaline.
And most years, the evening before, you can find me at the Old Louisville Brewery, where everyone knows my name and everyone knows how stressed I am. They’ll clap me on the back and say, “Big day tomorrow!” Or they’ll say, “Are you ready?” And usually I smile and respond, “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
But this year was different. On the eve of Give for Good, people came up to me and said, “You don’t seem nearly as stressed this year,” or “You look so calm for tomorrow being the big day!” And they were right. For once, I wasn’t a bundle of nerves.
Why? Because even though this was my first year leading the Highlands Community Ministries Give for Good campaign, the people connected to this organization have been proving to me for the last nine months exactly what kind of people they are.
Generous. Steady. Compassionate.
The kind of neighbors who show up. And I knew, deep down, that they would show up again.
And Did You Ever Show Up
Our goal was to raise $25,000 from 200 donors. It already felt ambitious. In HCM’s history, we had never crossed the 200-donor mark, and last year’s campaign raised just over $8,000. But this year you didn’t just meet the goal. You shattered it.
More than 300 donors gave a record-breaking $37,175. That’s not only our biggest Give for Good ever: it’s more than we raised in last year’s Empty Bowls, Annual Campaign, and Give for Good combined.
Woven Together
What made this year so special wasn’t just the numbers. It was the way every corner of HCM came together. For the first time, we invited everyone to participate: Meals on Wheels volunteers, food pantry helpers, childcare parents, HYR families, and more.
And the response was overwhelming.
HYR families alone contributed 45 gifts, raising $3,800 and surpassing their $3,000 program goal. Weekly volunteers surprised us with gifts of all sizes, including one couple who quietly gave $2,000 on top of the hours they dedicate each week.
The next day, our inbox filled with words of celebration. Kathy wrote, “I love that goals were shattered! I love that we work together as a community! I’m so proud of Louisville for providing this one day of giving that unites people across the region. I love feeling a part of a huge community wide effort!” Others echoed the joy: “YESSSSSS!” or “Great job!” or “Congrats! That is fantastic!”
Together, these voices and gifts wove a fabric that feels bigger than any single program. They remind us that HCM is one community, one neighborly effort, woven tightly together.
Unity in a Divided World
Right now, our country may feel divided on many issues, but this campaign reminded me of how much we agree on. Families deserve the roof over their heads. Seniors should never have to choose between medicine and groceries. Children deserve opportunities to play, learn, and grow.
Each gift, whether $10 or $2,000, was a thread in a larger tapestry. And just as each thread brings its own color and strength, so, too, did each donor, volunteer, and family add to the beauty of what we created together. Meals on Wheels, the food pantry, childcare, youth sports, senior programs: every program and every person became part of one fabric of care.
Looking Ahead
This campaign showed what is possible when neighbors show up for one another. You are the threads of this tapestry. You are HCM. Look at what you made happen!
If you want to keep this feeling alive, consider joining our Friendly Neighbor Society. Monthly gifts, big or small, are like ongoing threads that strengthen the fabric we’re weaving together. They help ensure that families have food, seniors are cared for, and children have opportunities to grow and thrive, not just on one big day of giving but all year long.
And maybe that’s why, the night before Give for Good this year, I wasn’t a bundle of nerves at my neighborhood pub. I wasn’t pacing or second-guessing. I knew that when the big day came, neighbors like you would show up. And you did, in the most beautiful way. Together, we wove something stronger than any single thread could ever be.
