Discover Ocala - Episode 15 | A Closer Look at Give4Marion

A person holding a tablet getting ready to donate to a worthy cause.

People living in a community called The Horse Capital of the World™ know a thing or two about commitment and endurance – not to mention jumping right to help where it’s needed. It’s just one outstanding characteristic that helps define Central Florida’s penchant for tackling something and getting it done.

Every September, organizations from around the region get together for a 33-hour nonstop sprint called Give4Marion, spearheaded and organized by the Ocala/Marion Community Foundation. It’s an initiative to raise funds and support for nonprofits of every feather – from medicine to technology, sports and arts and everything in between. The whole initiative provides a much-needed platform for online donations to local organizations, as well as an energizing jolt to community involvement.

In our latest Discover Ocala Podcast, Ashley Wheeler-Gerds, Director of Strategic Engagement for the Community Foundation, stopped by to talk to us about the event, what they have planned for this year, and how it’s grown at an astonishingly fast pace since its inception.

“This is our fifth year,” she told host Valerie Dailey. “It started back during covid, when the world shut down; nonprofits and events got shut down. They really depended on those dollars, so online donations really became so important. With Give4Marion, that helps with those online donations and gives them that platform.”

The initiative raised $1.14 million in 2023 – a 93% increase from the previous year – and expanded the number of participating nonprofits who registered for this year’s event. Since its inception during the pandemic, it’s grown from 103 organizations to 116 in 2024. The Community Foundation hopes to bump that number up to 120 by the time the event rolls around.

“This is our fifth year. It started back during covid, when the world shut down; nonprofits and events got shut down. They really depended on those dollars, so online donations really became so important. With Give4Marion, that helps with those online donations and gives them that platform.”

Ashley Wheeler-Gerds, Director of Strategic Engagement for the Community Foundation

“Year one was put together so quickly, but they were still able to achieve over $300,000 in donations in 24 hours.” Wheeler-Gerds tells the podcast. “We’re shattering records this year and really helping nonprofits achieve their goals.”

Especially, she noted, for local arts and artisans, who suffered a major blow in state-funded budget cuts this year. “When you’re doing your budget as a nonprofit, you’re really depending on that,” Wheeler-Gerds said. “We really have to make up some groundwork to support our Arts Community.”

In addition to their fundraising efforts, Give4Marion offers a range of resources for nonprofits, including tech and strategy courses. Earlier in the year, Showcase invited some of the participants to come and talk to a group of our agents – many of whom started to volunteer as a result.

A woman enjoys a cup of tea and peruses the Give4Marion website.

Samantha Dailey was at first unfamiliar with Give4Marion, and commented in the podcast about how she was invited to a final hours event – the big push at the end of the fundraising efforts – at the Marion Theatre one year. She was stunned at the pace, the energy, and the results she saw.

“I didn’t really know what it was, and then I got there,” she recalled, describing her reaction. “Everybody from the community was there. So I kind of got inspired, and I wanted to be more involved.”

She actively participates in fundraising classes offered by Give to Marion and is involved with various community nonprofits, and looks forward to the annual 33-hour juggernaut every year.

“It’s Marion County giving back to Marion County. It’s such a generous community,” Podcast host Valerie Dailey remarked. “It’s very special that we have people who support so many different nonprofits.

The event kicks off September 17 with a luncheon at OBS, hosted by Ocala Bets, and finishes with a celebration party on September 18 at the Reilly Arts Center. In between those hours will be contests, competition, fundraising activities and prizes.

“It’s 33 hours of no sleep and crazy mess,” chuckles Wheeler-Gerds.

Volunteers are always welcome, and additional information or donations can be made at the official website: Give4Marion.org.

Check out some of our previous podcast features!