Community Donates Over $1 Million During Match Madness

April 28, 2025 30 Views

Carlisle, PA – This past March marked the Partnership for Better Health’s tenth annual Match Madness fundraising campaign. Donations from community members to 55 participating nonprofits have been matched up to $150,000 by the Partnership for Better Health, with support from WellSpan Health and The M&T Charitable Foundation.

“We are honored to support our local nonprofits through the Match Madness program,” says Carol Thornton, Executive Director of the Partnership for Better Health. “Many of our local nonprofits are seeing unprecedented need in services and resources. This was a phenomenal campaign. We are grateful to the generous donors who are supporting our community in this time of need.”

In total, community donors gave $1,024,053 to local nonprofits through Match Madness.

With the $150,000 in matching funds, this campaign represents more than $1.1 million to support our community, with a grand total of $1,174,053!

Participating nonprofits are working to give everyone a fair chance at good health. Whether it’s safer housing, healthier food, or stronger community support, each plays a role in shaping a person’s well-being; otherwise known as addressing the Social Determinants of Health.

While the Partnership received almost 200 fewer donations than last year, the average size of the donations increased by $50.

“March is an exciting time for our organization! Unlike other local giving programs, our program runs for the full month,” shares Antonia Price, Director of Communications and Development for the Partnership. “We have an incredibly generous community, that supports the crucial services our local nonprofits provide.”

Top Fundraisers for the 2025 campaign include Project SHARE of Carlisle, Community CARES, Safe Harbour, Bosler Memorial Library, and first-time participant CWS Harrisburg. Each of these participants raised over $50,000 in flexible funding to help carry out their missions of addressing the social determinants of health within our communities.

Other first-time participants included Adams County Children’s Advocacy Center, Branch Creek Place Senior Center, Carlisle Area Religious Council, Carlisle Community Coalition, Circle of Love Community Outreach Program, Latino Hispanic American Community Center, and Newport PA Farmers Market.

Not counting the top five fundraisers, organizations raised an average of $12,185 through community donations; this is $3,6000 more than the average raised by each organization last year.

Nonprofit organizations that received a grant from the Partnership for Better Health within the past two fiscal years were invited to participate in the 2025 Match Madness campaign. Participating organizations have a focus on the Social Determinants of Health, annual operating budgets of less than $3 million, and are raising funds to benefit our local community.

Since inception, the Partnership for Better Health’s annual initiative has raised over $6.1 million for local nonprofits, who provide essential services and resources to residents in Perry County, parts of Adams and Cumberland Counties, and the Shippensburg Area. Learn more: https://forbetterhealthpa.org/.

2025 Match Madness Organizations

Adams County Arts Council

Adams County Children’s Advocacy Center

Amethyst Foundation

Bethany House of Cumberland County

Big Brothers Big Sisters of South-Central PA

Big Spring Senior Center

Blue Mountain Escape

Bosler Memorial Library

Boys & Girls Club of Chambersburg and Shippensburg

Branch Creek Place Senior Center & More

Carlisle Area Religious Council