Blackbaud Customers Raise Millions of Dollars for Victims of the Hawaii Wildfires
CHARLESTON, S.C., Aug. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading provider of software for powering social impact, is sharing how its customers are creating incredible impact by raising funds and providing disaster relief for the people of Hawaii in the wake of catastrophic wildfires, including the Lahaina fire on Maui, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in the last century.
"In the midst of this devastation, we are humbled by the critical support our customers are enabling in response to the fires on Maui," said Mike Gianoni, president and CEO, Blackbaud. "From nonprofit customers who are responding on the front lines, to corporate customers who are activating their philanthropic programs and rallying their employees, the impact created is crucial for the residents of Maui as they begin to rebuild. We are honored to play a small part by enabling fundraising through our technology."
Nonprofit and Foundation Customers Providing Critical Services and Raising Funds
In times of crisis, nonprofits and foundations rely on Blackbaud technology to manage donor outreach and process donations. Examples include:
Hawai'i Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund is providing financial resources to support the immediate and long-term recovery needs for the people and places affected by the devastating Maui wildfires. The Maui Strong Fund has received over $60 million in donations from over 44 countries and counting, seeing a 500% increase in donations after the fires broke out. In three weeks alone, the foundation has distributed $10 million in grants to nearly 60 partners on the ground providing immediate relief to Maui communities.
The Tua Foundation, established by NFL quarterback and Hawaiian native Tua Tagovailoa, has started a fund to help heal Hawaii, raising over $100,000 so far.
Catholic Charities Hawai'i is collaborating with community partners to deliver resources and services including housing, financial assistance, everyday essential needs, help in rebuilding homes and counseling.
"We hope the acts of kindness by thousands of people across the world who have already donated will help to uplift the many people that were affected by these devastating wildfires and offer hope that we're all in this together," said Micah Kāne, CEO and president of Hawai'i Community Foundation. "A mahalo to Blackbaud for providing the technology and support needed for our fundraising efforts for the Maui community."
Corporate Customers Supporting the Cause
Corporations leveraging YourCause® from Blackbaud® have been able to quickly deploy employee giving and matching donation campaigns to cultivate the generosity of their workforce. To date, over 200 companies have set up dedicated response programs on the YourCause platform, facilitating more than $1.6 million for Hawaii wildfire relief through employee donations and corporate matches. These donations are supporting organizations like American Red Cross Honolulu, Maui Food Bank, Aloha United Way and more.
The Cencora Impact Foundation, formerly the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, set up a 2:1 match to amplify the impact of employee donations to the Hawai'i Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund.
"It's heartbreaking to see the devastation in our communities, and as our neighbors begin to face the challenge of rebuilding, we hope to enhance the ongoing relief efforts by supporting community organizations on the ground," said Susan Lorenz Fisher, Cencora Impact Foundation program officer. "To maximize our impact, we identified regional partner organizations that allow us to work together to expand access to quality care and have a positive impact during this critical time."
Blackbaud's Commitment
Blackbaud builds essential software that frees purpose-driven teams to focus on what matters most: delivering impact. Blackbaud teams are working to enable customers to quickly respond to the crisis in Hawaii, stand up fundraising campaigns, process donations and spread awareness of their efforts.
Blackbaud has made a donation to the Hawai'i Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund, in addition to donating to the American Red Cross in Alaska and the Canadian Red Cross to support wildfire relief in those regions as well.
About Blackbaud
Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies committed to social responsibility and individual change makers, Blackbaud's essential software is built to accelerate impact in fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving, grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud's solutions are unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies, Quartz's list of Best Companies for Remote Workers, and Forbes' list of America's Best Employers. A remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
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Forward-looking Statements
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding expected benefits of products and product features. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles, particularly in larger organization; technological changes that make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud's investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.
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SOURCE Blackbaud, Inc.
