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With the return of a $50,000 “match challenge,” Raritan Valley Community College had an incredible “Giving Day” on March 21, raising $154,355 for student clubs and athletic teams, as well as a range of centers, institutes, and critical institutional programs at the College. The 8th annual event was organized by the RVCC Foundation.

The day’s success was also thanks to the “match challenge” from two generous benefactors, Jim and Jill Gibson of Basking Ridge and The Caruso Family Foundation—whose combined gifts provided $50,000 in matching funds to support RVCC Giving Day 2024.

“We are grateful to have such caring supporters of RVCC,” said Michael J. McDonough, President, RVCC. “The exceptional generosity of Jim and Jill Gibson and The Caruso Family Foundation in providing the $50,000 match challenge helped to transform our Giving Day fundraising.”

“We’re believers in Raritan Valley Community College and its impact and we’re delighted by the results of Giving Day 2024,” said Jim Gibson.  “And we’re happy to have played a role in this exceptional outcome.”

“The Caruso Family Foundation was honored to lend our support to RVCC’s Giving Day. The positive impact RVCC has on the lives of its students and our community is immeasurable and instrumental,” said a Foundation spokesperson.

The $154,355 raised was the second-highest RVCC Giving Day fundraising total ever, second only to last year’s record-setting amount of $164,585 result. In addition, student clubs and teams accounted for 21% of all Giving Day funds raised.

“This is the one day of the year when we ask the collective community to come together in a single, 24-hour period and rally its support of the College,” said Mike Marion, Executive Director, RVCC Foundation and RVCC Alumni Association. “And when that community responds, it is an amazing thing to witness,” added Marion.

“RVCC Giving Day is integral to the College’s culture of service, philanthropy, and difference-making,” Marion continued. “We cannot be more appreciative of Jim and Jill Gibson and The Caruso Family Foundation, for their generosity, and for modeling the behavior and values we seek to instill in our students. That may be their ultimate gift.”

RVCC Giving Day 2024 donors were invited to select from a wide range of College programs, student clubs, RVCC Athletic teams, and other initiatives they wished to support, including the Student Resource Center and Food Pantry, The Pray Family Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement at RVCC, Honors College, and Workforce Training Center, as well as a range of scholarship offerings. Donors also had the opportunity to “write in” additional giving preferences.

This year’s winners of the “Patrick J. Fittipaldi Impact Award”—which celebrates student success in support of RVCC Giving Day—were the Men’s Basketball team for the most funds raised ($7,695) and the Women’s Basketball team for the most $50+ donations (17).

The RVCC Foundation is the fundraising arm of Raritan Valley Community College. It provides the resources that enable the College to enhance its programs beyond public and tuition sources and to maintain its standing as a premier academic institution and one of the most important sources of culture and continuing education in Somerset and Hunterdon counties.  

For those seeking additional information about ways to support the College and the work of the RVCC Foundation, contact Mike Marion at 908-648-8567 or michael.marion@raritanval.edu, or visit https://rvccfoundation.org.

RVCC is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 28, 2024

Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383

PR #89