Giving Tuesday 2025, which was held Dec. 2, provided year-end opportunities for individuals to help their favorite local organizations. Numerous McDonough County-area social service agencies, nonprofits and educational institutions took part in the day-long program to raise much-needed funds for their respective organizations, with several continuing their efforts into the new year.
Carl Sandburg College
Carl Sandburg College, with a campus in Carthage along with its main campus in Galesburg, raised over $194,500 during the Sandburg Foundation's Giving Tuesday campaign, which continues through today (Dec. 9). Donations can be made at givecampus.com/schools/CarlSandburgCollegeFoundation/givingtuesday-2025, or by contacting the foundation at 309-341-5349 or [email protected].
The Giving Gardens
On Giving Tuesday, the Giving Gardens launched their year-end campaign, along with a $10,000 match challenge. A pool of supporters came together to create the challenge fund, with every donation in December being doubled until the $10,000 challenge is met. The challenge match was launched on Giving Tuesday, with $3,500 raised on the first day. To participate in the challenge match, donations can be made online at givinggardensforall.com or checks, made payable to The Giving Gardens, can be mailed to The Giving Gardens, 400 E. Carroll St., Macomb, IL 61455. The Giving Gardens (GG) mission is to provide access to gardens in every neighborhood. In 2025, GG served nine neighborhoods with public access gardens, and there are plans to expand those existing gardens in 2026, including three new Macomb gardens. The public access gardens provide access to fresh vegetables, flowers, herbs, and berries and serve as an important gathering place in the neighborhoods that are served.
Humane Society of McDonough County
A new match initiative for the Humane Society of McDonough County's New Animal Shelter Campaign. Gloria (Caldwell), originally from Macomb, and Edwin Vankan, who live in the state of Virginia, went into play for the new animal shelter. The match campaign will run from through Feb. 14, 2026. On Giving Tuesday the Humane Society raised close to $700. The Vankans are again donating $10,000 matching funds for construction of the new animal shelter in memory of their adopted dog, Spanky, and in celebration of all animals that has been adopted from the McDonough County Animal Shelter. Earlier this year, the couple matched funds up to $10,000 in memory of Gloria's parents, Helen and Ernest Caldwell of Macomb. The City of Macomb has leased land to the HSMC just east of the shelter on Tower Road for the new shelter. There is currently over $1 million in the building campaign fund, and according to HSMC President Bonnie Smith-Skripps, the group anticipates needing at least $500,000 to complete the project. To donate to the building fund campaign, visit hsmcil.org/building-campaign to give online, Venmo @HumaneSocietyofMcDonoughCounty or mail, checks payable to Humane Society of McDonough County (building fund campaign in memo), to P.O. Box 7, Macomb, IL 61455.
Loaves and Fishes of Macomb
An anonymous donor offered the Macomb-based organization Loaves & Fishes $10,000 for Giving Tuesday if the organization could match the donation…and it did. The total received from the Giving Tuesday event is being calculated, with the funds going toward helping many families in the weeks and months to come. An extra special donation came from the St. Paul's second grade: the students raised $320.20 from a bake sale for Giving Tuesday. Because of donations received, 400-500 families in need can receive grocery assistance. Loaves and Fishes of Macomb had been serving an average of 435 families monthly and spending over $15,000/month. Since the start of 2025, more than 3,905 households were served and close to $123,000 in food vouchers were distributed by Loaves & Fishes of Macomb. The local nonprofit provides grocery vouchers once a month that can be used at Hy-Vee and Jackson Street Market in Macomb and the Bushnell Market. Donations can be sent to Loaves and Fishes, PO Box 9, Macomb, IL, 61455. Individuals can also message [email protected].
McDonough District Hospital (MDH)
As a rural hospital, MDH is committed to providing dependable, high-quality critical care close to home. Due to financial challenges, many of the hospital's capital projects have been impacted, from equipment replacements to key facility updates. On Giving Tuesdsay, $3,200 was raised to help MDH advance these projects and further strengthen the hospital's care for its community. The MDH Foundation Board and Hospital Board of Directors provided a board-funded match of up to $1,000. To donate, visit mdh.org/makeagift or contact the MDH Foundation at 309-836-1757.
Mosaic
Mosaic, which is a whole-person healthcare organization that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other diverse needs, is still accepting donations to go towards its annual Partners in Possibilities fundraiser that runs through Dec. 31. To make a gift to Mosaic in Macomb, donations can be made online at mosaicinfo.org/macomb-partners or check, payable to Mosaic in Macomb, to Mosaic, Attn. Melody Robertson, 220 N. Lafayette St., Macomb, IL 61455. The services provided through Mosaic helps persons with disabilities reach their goals and empower them to live their best life. Mosaic has been supporting people with developmental disabilities and other diverse needs since 1913. Today, the organization serves nearly 5,000 people in more than 750 communities across 12 states.
Samaritan Well Inc. of Macomb
The Samaritan Well Inc. of Macomb is a transitional housing program for individuals experiencing homelessness. The Samaritan Well continues to operate the two shelters serving individuals and families. The shelters offer housing with primarily private rooms, shared bathrooms, laundry facilities, kitchen space, and opportunities for socialization and recreation. The organization provides a temporary, supportive, structured and safe environment with case management services to individuals and families as they seek solutions to meet their needs. Donations help the organization to maintain operations of the shelters and provide for those in the community who are unhoused. While The Samaritan Well receives some funding through grant programs, the local organization relies on the generosity of its donors. A fundraising campaign is currently underway. For more information and to donate, visit thesamaritanwellinc.org.
GivingSPOONday – Our Community. Our Future: Spoon River College Spoon River College (SRC)
On Giving Tuesday, Spoon River College (SRC), with campuses in Canton and Macomb, has raised close to $62,000 to date. Donations go toward the pantries available on each campus, which provide nonperishable food items and toiletries; emergency grants for students in crisis and innovative educational opportunities and scholarships. To make a gift to SRC, visit the Spoon River College Foundation Facebook page (facebook.com/spoonrivercollegefoundation), or call (309) 833-6083.
Tri States Public Radio
Close to $4,000 was raised for Tri States Public Radio, which fuels the local public radio station's mission of providing information and entertainment of the highest possible caliber to enrich and engage the public, enhance quality of life and meet the diverse needs of people in our region and beyond. What began as WKKS in 1956 has grown into TSPR, a 50,000-watt NPR station that reaches thousands of households throughout Illinois and parts of Iowa and Missouri. TSPR is a mixed-format station, which means, its 365/24/7 on-air services include both music, programming (national and locally based) and news. The Macomb-based radio station is the only local radio station that is a daily local – and reliable - news source, that also provides emergency notices to keep area residents apprised of inclement weather and other disasters. To give to TSPR, visit tspr.org/donate. Funds raised go toward operations and programming.
Western Illinois Regional Counsel (WIRC)
WIRC-Community Action Agency's Giving Tuesday campaign supported three initiatives: Good Food Pantry, Project Santa and Urgent Needs (funds go to where they are needed most). On Giving Tuesday, the agency raised $8,250. In addition to funds raised, sixth grade students at St. Paul School donated new winter coats to Project Santa children, and hand-knitted scarves were donated by Charlene Kornoski-Du-Vall to Project Santa for children who do not have winter clothing. Kornoski-Duvall was knitting scarves for Project Santa, while waiting on her order at a Bob Evans restaurant in Springfield, and her server, Stephanie Spiker of Springfield, asked what she was doing. Spiker was moved to help knit scarves as well, so Kornoski-Duvall drove back to Springfield to pick up the scarves from Spiker and added her own knitted scarves to the donation. To donate to WIRC, checks can be mailed or dropped off at 133 W Jackson St., Macomb, IL 61455, or online at wirpc.org/ donate.
Western Illinois Museum
On Giving Tuesday, the Western Illinois Museum launched its end-of-year campaign to raise $5,000 to purchase new chairs. Close to $1,300 has been raised to date. To donate, visit wimuseum. networkforgood.com/ projects/266415-2025-havea- seat, or mail (or drop off) checks to Western Illinois Museum, 201 S. Lafayette St., Macomb, IL 61455. The museum saw record-breaking attendance at its programs and exhibits during 2025 (in September alone, more than 800 guests visited the museum), and with that, the staff and volunteers discovered that the museum did not have enough chairs. As Museum Director said, donators can help solve this very 'sit-uation' by contributing to the chair campaign. With donations raised, the museum plans to purchase 100 more chairs to accommodate visitors who come in to enjoy the many programs and presentations.
Western Illinois University (WIU)
For the fourth consecutive year, WIU had a record-breaking GivingTuesday campaign, with nearly $136,000 raised from 476 donors in the 24-hour giving period. The 2025 total is a 42 percent increase from last year's then-record $95,840 raised. This year's event saw donors unlock a $25,000 challenge gift that will boost student recruitment and retention initiatives and a $10,000 match to further the Trading and Commodities Lab project in the College of Business and Technology, along with matching opportunities to support the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration and the WIU Food Pantry. To contribute, visit wiu.edu/give. For more details on WIU's Annual Fund and other giving opportunities, contact the WIU Foundation at (309) 298-1861, [email protected] or wiu.edu/giving.
