KINGSTON – Local philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein’s 12th annual nationwide matching challenge to anti-hunger organizations led to $197 million in donations this year, a new record for the campaign, The Feinstein Foundation announced today.
The foundation said more than 1,700 agencies, churches and other groups that work to alleviate hunger participated in the challenge this year. The total amount of donations raised during the campaign grew 13.2 percent from last year, when the challenge raised $174 million.
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Since 1997, Feinstein has made an annual pledge to divide $1 million proportionally among all anti-hunger groups that agree to participate in the challenge, which runs from the beginning of March to the end of April each year. Participating organizations receive at least $250, up to a maximum grant of $40,000.
By promoting the match opportunity, The Feinstein Foundation says organizations frequently more than double their intake of donations. The foundation estimates the annual challenge has raised a total of more than $1 billion over the last dozen years.
Feinstein, a Brown University graduate and former schoolteacher, made his fortune as the publisher of an investment newsletter and through direct-mail marketing of stamp sets issued by third-world governments. He has been active in anti-hunger efforts since the mid-1980s.
Additional information is available at FeinsteinFoundation.org.
