OTTERBURNE, MB – Providence raised more than $14.7 million in the largest, most ambitious campaign in its history. Starting in July 2015, we launched a five-year campaign with the initial goal to raise $12.5 million. We not only met that goal after three and a half years but pressed forward and set a new goal of $14.5 million.
We’re now pleased to announce the successful completion of our Impact 2020 campaign. We are genuinely overjoyed at God’s provision and the result of your faithful giving. This week, on April 7, 2021, we held a special virtual celebration live on Facebook and YouTube and unveiled the final campaign total of $14,791,139.
Samantha Groenendijk, Vice President of External Relations, attributes the success of the campaign to Providence supporters who believe so strongly in our students and the value of a post-secondary Christian education.
“We’re excited to have achieved something so impactful not only for the future of Providence, but for our students, and for our neighborhoods and communities. It couldn’t have been done without the tremendous support of our donors, staff, faculty and volunteers,” affirmed Groenendijk.
Many tuned into the live virtual event to celebrate together. The 25-minute celebration featured student testimonials, campaign highlights and the special commissioned art piece that’ll mark the philanthropic investments of our community for years to come. If you missed our live event, but would still like to watch our video segments, please click here.
The campaign raised money for five main priorities that included revitalizing the campus, offering new programs, contributing to employee development, and bringing an enhanced student experience to Providence. We received donations from 1,580 people who made 12,018 generous gifts. This included gifts from our Board, friends, businesses, 85 staff and faculty, and more than 700 alumni!
President David Johnson personally thanked all the people and families who invested in our students through the Impact 2020 campaign and saw the potential ‘return on investment (ROI)’ of a Christ-centered higher education.
“We all rightly make donations to various organizations that serve the poor and needy. We make donations to our churches. BUT who leads these churches?” Dr. Johnson asked. “Who serves on church boards? Who leads and works in those relief organizations? Who teaches our children and grandchildren? Who runs ethical businesses? Who interacts everyday with people in workplaces and neighborhoods? Providence graduates, that’s who. This is the ROI you receive from investing in our school.”
This is evident in the lives of our students and alumni. Aly Giesbrecht, a recent graduate with a MA in Counselling, shared what a Providence education has meant to her. “Prov has impacted me in my learning journey. I’ve experienced care for who I am as a person. My professors have been mentors rather than just educators; They want me to learn and grow as a human being. It’s not just about information, and grades, and assignments; It’s about developing students and teaching them to make an impact even as they’re learning and growing.”
To conclude, we’d like to say to our Providence community that, BECAUSE OF YOU, we have made an impact. It sets a precedent for what we still can achieve in the coming years for a stronger and better Providence as we continue to dream and endeavor together.
