Give Miami Day returns November 19 with an especially Miami milestone: its quinceañera. Now in its fifteenth year, the citywide day of giving has grown into a powerful philanthropic movement. Last year alone, more than 60,000 donors made more than 120,000 donations, raising $43.8 million for local nonprofits. As president and CEO of The Miami Foundation, Rebecca Fishman sits at the intersection of community impact, civic leadership, and Miami’s unprecedented growth. We caught up with her to discuss local changemaking, the evolution of Give Miami Day, and the magic behind one of the city’s biggest days of generosity.
Aventura: Give Miami Day feels less like a traditional fundraiser and more like a citywide holiday. Describe the energy inside The Miami Foundation headquarters throughout the day.
Fishman: It’s electric. Wall-to-wall generosity and unity. We have 1,500 nonprofits fundraising side by side, with a giant screen showing the live count of dollars raised across Miami. We take over LoanDepot Park and spend the whole day showering love and resources on our nonprofits, starting with a big breakfast. Last year, we shot T-shirts into the crowd that said, “This T-shirt is worth $1,000,” and whoever caught one got to choose the nonprofit that received the gift. In 2024, we ran a game show called The Price is Super Right, calling up nonprofits who had no idea they were about to play. Every single one won, including a food pantry that walked away with a brand-new refrigerated truck after theirs had broken down. Every time another million-dollar milestone is reached, the entire arena bursts into a dance party. It is a day of profound unity and joy, but it’s hard work to raise $44 million in a day! By midnight, we’re exhausted after a day of nonstop production and support for our community, but we’re there together because it’s the greatest feeling in the world to see our community come together.
Give Miami Day has ballooned from a 24-hour online push into a multiday civic festival with early giving, community activations, and even a 5K. What drove the decision to expand the footprint?
What nonprofits want most is visibility. More days let us build more momentum and shine a bigger light on the work they’re doing. Research used to say Miami was one of the least civically engaged cities in the country. Today, Give Miami Day is the largest single-city giving day in the nation. Miami flipped the script.
For someone who has never taken part in Give Miami Day, what’s the easiest way to start without feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of nonprofits?
Start with a nonprofit that’s already part of your life. Maybe it’s the animal shelter you adopted your dog from, the food pantry down the street, or the museum you took your kids to last weekend. But don’t stop there. Give Miami Day is also a chance to discover the nonprofit sector. On givemiamiday.org, we have a discovery assistant that asks what you care about and points you toward nonprofits doing work that matters deeply to you—ones you may not even know exist yet.
Some people assume philanthropy is just for ultra-wealthy donors. How does Give Miami Day challenge that idea?
Philanthropy in Miami isn’t a story written only by our wealthiest locals. On Give Miami Day, it’s a $25 story. That’s our minimum gift, and it’s proof that everyone has a seat at this table. Last year, Miami raised $43.8 million for its nonprofits from more than 120,000 donations, with an average gift of just $50. The word “philanthropy” carries a connotation of being only for certain people, but at its root, it just means love for others. Everyone is invited to Give Miami Day.
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