JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Numerous Jamestown area nonprofits were the beneficiaries of numerous giving hearts Thursday.

The annual Giving Hearts Day is a 24-hour fundraising event for charities in North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. Since 2008, the day has raised more than $70 million through generous donors. 100% of everything raised goes directly towards one of the 483 participating charities.

This year, a record $19,126,561 was raised through 34,574 donations.

Another record set this year? The Jamestown area saw nearly $2 million in donations over the course of the day.

“The 15 Jamestown [participants] raised about 20% of the total collected,” JRMC Marketing Manager Katie Ryan-Anderson reported. “What a blessing for our city and county of 25,000 people.”

The JRMC Foundation reports that they received donations totaling $114,000, which they say will allow them to purchase needed equipment and technology.

“Community support is incredible,” said Lisa Jackson, Foundation Director. “With 24-hours of #GivingHeartsDay and your support, JRMC provides 24-hours of care, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We would not be able to care for the community without the support of so many.”

Nearly 330 donors supported causes including the JRMC Cancer Center, JRMC Hospice and the future fetal heart monitoring system for babies and laboring moms.

Donor dollars provide innovation, technology and equipment to keep patients safe. In non-profit hospitals, our margins just don’t allow for this in our budget,” said JRMC President & CEO Mike Delfs. “Integrating the new system means nurses can spend more time at the bedside and less time behind a computer.”

Another highlight of the day was the organization that raised the most money out of all non-profits; The Anne Carlsen Center.

With more than $1.4 million raised from over 4,000 donors on Giving Hearts Day, Anne Carlsen was reportedly the biggest receiver of donations.

Eric Wilkie, Chief Development Officer for Anne Carlsen Center, says this is the first year he believes a charity outside of the Red River Valley has raised the most money through Giving Hearts Day.

Collectively, the Jamestown area collected around $1.8 million total during Giving Hearts Day.

Area organizations that participated in the 2020 Giving Hearts Day includes:

Alpha Opportunities
Anne Carlsen Center
American Heart Association
Ave Maria Village
Freedom Resource Center
Guardian Angels, Inc.
James River Senior Center and Public Transit
James Valley Youth for Christ
Jamestown Gymnastics Club
Jamestown Regional Medical Center Foundation
St. John’s Academy
The Arts Center
The Salvation Army
University of Jamestown
Victory Christian School