Better Together: Successes from the 2023 Annual Giving Campaign

EENC’s 2023 Annual Giving Campaign, Better Together, is one for the history books!

Together, our community raised over $30,000 over the course of the campaign, unlocking both the original 25K match and the surprise 5K boost match provided by our anonymous match donor in full for a final grand total of over $60,000. 

"Thanks to you, EENC exceeded our goal and received the full match for an astonishing $60,051 raised! You, our members and believers, rallied to make this record-breaking success, bringing in more funding and new supporters than ever before. Thank you for investing in the future of EENC and a powerful 2024." - Nikki Jones, Interim Executive Director

By the numbers:

• Amount raised: $30,051

• Amount matched: $30,000

• Better Together grand total: $60,051

• Number of donors: 188

• #GivingTuesday total: $2,567

• Donations made from outside NC: 42, representing 24 US states

• Largest single donation: $5,000, Baxter Johnson Site Contractors

• Participation by 2023 Board of Directors: 100% contributed 

• Number of donations made by EENC Members: 83

THANK YOU, EENC community. It is together – and only together – that we build momentum and drive collective impact for environmental education in North Carolina. 

"It's truly humbling to witness the power of community and the collective impact we can make when we come together. As we move forward, rest assured that your investment will be met with unwavering dedication and hard work. We are committed to delivering programs and services that not only meet but exceed your expectations." - Amy Juliana, 2023 Board President

The EENC Board and Staff extend our sincere appreciation to the anonymous matching grant donor who made this record-breaking year possible, and to all 188 individual donors who contributed to the wave of momentum that carried us all the way to the finish line, including: 

Anonymous donors, Sarah Adams, Ryan Avett, Lindsey Baker, Keith Bamberger, Meagan Barger, Cornelia  Barr, Dorothy Bartow, Rachel Batson, Grace Baucom, Sammy Bauer, Brandon Becker, Rachel Bessone, Marissa Blackburn, Barbara Bleiweis, Kelly Bono, Julie Brame, Deborah E Branson, Krista Brinchek, Susan Brooks, Charlotte Clark, Gloria Clouse, Barnabas Coker, Ruby Compton, Sarah Coombs, Beth Cranford, Shannon Culpepper, Martha Dillon, Mary Dobreff, Katie Dombrowski, Heather Drayton, Lauren Drugan, Jamie Dunleavy, Mike Dunn, Tori Duval, Bonnie Eamick, Jelene Ellington, Juliana Finch, Cathy Fitzpatrick, Chip Freund, Will Freund, Lauren Greene, Cheryl Grim, Jessie Gruber, Ryan Guest, Julie Hall, April Harper, Tots Height, Erin Hines, Perry Hodgkins Jones, Chandler Holland, Virginia Holman, Andrea Horn, Lauren Houser, Laura Hoxworth, Heather Hubbard, Erin Hudson, Alonzo Jaynes, Brady Johnson, Miriam Ash-Jones and Tom Jones, Shannon Jones, Sheila Jones, Thomas Jones, Nikki Jones, Amelia Juliana, Martha Kane, Terri Kirby Hathaway, Leigh Kopicki, Lauren Lampley, Gloria Lengel, Margot Lester, Melody Lineberger, Frankie Lineberger, Ren Love, Livy Ludington, Ryan Manning, Jonathan Marchal, Diane Mason, Carrie Mason, Kati McArdle, Meredith McBride, Colin McCormick, George McCrary, Katie Messmer, C.J. Messmer, Genny Messmer, Mary Meyer, Deborah Miller, Jennifer Miller, Sarah Moore, William Moore, Daniel Naruta, Jonathan Navarro, Lori Niedfelt-Petrich, Marie O’Hara, Brooke and Patrick O’Friel, Blair Ogburn, Melva Okun, Andrea Parham, Pam Pearce, Allison Peavy, Beth Porter, Amy Renfranz; Janet Revnyak, Ty Rinholm, Edith Rinholm, Tracey Roode, Sarah Safley, Alayna Schmidt, Rebecca Shareff, Bora Simmons, Teri Smith, Mazie Smith, Michael Smith, Mickey Jo Sorrell, Sarah Spencer, KAEE Staff, Sophia Stephenson, Kathryn Stevenson, Jessica Stitt, Renee Strnad, Becka Tait, Benigno Tellez, Elise Tellez, Julie Thomson, Jeff Thompson, Scott Thorburn, Kyra Thurow Bartow, Donna Tolar, Lisa Tolley, Jackie Trickel, Celia Tuttle, Pamela Vassallo, Breanna Walker, Nicole Warren, Willard Watson, Celeste Wescott Maus, Laura K White, Tracy Wilson, James Withrow, Christine Wittmeier, Brian Wuertz, and Lawrence Zoller. 

All public donors will be included in our 2023 Annual Report, and all donors will be eligible for recognition benefits in accordance with our new Donor Recognition Tiers.

The EENC team would also like to recognize the twenty fundraising champions – including Board Members, Staff Members, and close community partners –  who volunteered their time to serve as leaders, ambassadors, and advocates for this year’s campaign: Krista Brinchek, Nikki Jones, Kyra Thurow Bartow, Michelle Pearce, Lauren Lampley, Melva Fager Okun, Amy Juliana, Erin Hines, Brian Wuertz, Jessica Stitt, Elise Tellez, Will Freund, Emily Hurd, Dana Miller, Sammy Bauer, Tatiana Height, Grace Baucom, Breanna Walker, Jonathan Marchal, Cassie Petrilla. And a special thank you to those champions listed in bold for being responsible for the referral of upwards of $2,000 in donations each! 

Thanks to this landmark accomplishment, we’re taking on 2024 with confidence, and a deep sense of excitement for all that’s to come. 

Together, anything is possible.