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In 1963, Good Shepherd Ministries opened its doors to offer food and shelter to people who didn’t have a place to stay or enough to eat. In the 60 years since, Good Shepherd have developed a comprehensive system of support for Toronto’s homeless population. From food insecurity, to housing, healthcare and addiction support, Good Shepherd now walks every step of the way with the community they serve.
The yearly gala is Good Shepherd’s primary fundraising event for the year, and with the 2024 Angels Among Us Gala being only their second event since the Covid pandemic, it was crucial the night ran smoothly. To aid the fundraising element of their gala, Good Shepherd used the Givergy platform for their Silent Auction.
Fundraising Challenges
Good Shepherd have often found that check-out at the end of the night presents unique challenges because this is often the last impression donors and guests are left with after attending an event. The process of checking out and authentication when collecting won items can feel slow for attendees who are at the end of their night. To remedy this, Good Shepherd made a conscious effort to focus on the check-out process and being as organised as possible on the night. Leaving fundraisers with an important message: never neglect the closing moments of the show!
Event Highlights
For the organisers of the event, one of the brightest highlights was the execution of the run of show. The flow of the night felt energetic with each segment feeling connected, there was an open bar and, of course, a four-course meal which aided the jovial atmosphere.
Another bright spark of the gala was the auction. Opening a week before the actual event, it was a great resource to drive interest. Good Shepherd started accruing auction items months in advance and kept accepting them until the day before. They ended up with 166 items at completely varying price points, something which made the auction accessible to a vast number of potential donors. Then in the room, the use of Givergy leaderboards helped drive friendly competition with there being palpable excitement when bids popped up on screen.
All in all, a night that needed to run smoothly did. This is always a highlight.
How Much Was Raised?
Good Shepherd ran an incredible gala and ended up raising $325,000 net to support them in the work of supporting Toronto’s homeless population.
TOP TIP
“When planning our events we always have a definitive checklist and reference guide, of course this will be specific to each organisation and their mission, but it always allows us a clear pathway to our objectives.
With your fundraising auction, just ensure it is accessible with lots of price points as this supports its online shareability. The more the auction is shared prior to the event, the more attention there will be on your mission and the more you will raise on the night.”
“The Givergy team were incredibly helpful throughout the whole process. Pre-event, onsite support and even post event they were professional and available to answer any query or assist in trouble shooting. Their knowledge helped with best practices and ensured another fundraising success. It was a pleasure to work with Givergy again to reach our fundraising goals and help to provide services for people who are struggling with homelessness.”
