‘Make a positive impact on the lives of others’: Augusta Gives set for March 20

Augusta University will hold its annual day of giving, Augusta Gives, on Wednesday, March 20. Friends, neighbors, business owners, alumni, donors, retirees and other university supporters are encouraged to give toward the future of AU.

“Augusta University is a place to not only receive a quality education, but also to make a positive impact on the lives of others, and the continued growth of Augusta Gives is a testament to that impact,” said Augusta University President Brooks A. Keel, PhD. “We strive every day to provide our students with an innovative and engaging learning environment to prepare them for the workforce, and gifts from our alumni, faculty, staff, community and other supporters mean so much to our No. 1 priority — our students and our patients.”

Because Augusta Gives is virtual, donors may support the colleges, programs, units or areas that resonate most with them. Donations for this community-funded initiative are driven by social media posts and shares by students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the university, as well as some of the university’s most dedicated supporters who choose to make major gifts on this day.

For example, in 2023, Carole Hanes, DMD, and her husband Phil Hanes, DDS, a Dental College of Georgia power couple, funded a scholarship for dental students with their generous gift through Augusta Gives.

“This campaign is about getting everyone involved – faculty, staff, students, alumni and our friends of the institution – as a way of giving back to others through Augusta University. You’re not giving to AU, but you’re giving to others through AU,” said Brandon McCray, vice president for development at Augusta University.

Gifts of all sizes are needed, and the more received, the greater the impact on AU and its students. That is why every donor this year is also asked to join in the You +2 challenge and recruit two additional donors for AU.

There are hundreds of funds from which to choose that support education, health care, research, innovation and both the Augusta University Foundation and MCG Foundation. Whether you give to a specific area such as the Student Emergency Fund or to a scholarship fund that supports students who are the first in their family to attend college, every dollar given can change lives.

Last year more than 800 donors provided gifts totaling nearly $1.5 million.

Support can be elevated by sharing the augustagives.com giving link on social media and using the hashtag: #augustagives.

Here’s how you can help:

• Give – Make a gift at augustagives.com to support one of the many research, patient or student focused initiatives.
• Recruit – You +2. We challenge you to not only give a gift yourself but to also recruit two friends, family or alumni to make a gift.
• Share – Use #augustagives and images from our social media toolkit to help spread the word on all your social channels.
• Post – Take a selfie and post it using the hashtag #augustagives to show your Jaguar pride.

For more information, please visit the Augusta Gives website or contact Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement via email or by calling 706-721-4001.