Our Voice: Thanks a million, Ozarks!Our Voice: Thanks a million, Ozarks!

Angela Hammond with Midwest Family Broadcasting holds a sign as part of the May 5 Give Ozarks Day, a fundraiser for more than 150 nonprofits.(Photo: Nathan Papes/News-Leader)

Our community may not agree on everything, but when it comes to helping people in need, we come through.

In just 24 hours, $1,018,962 was raised for some 150 area nonprofits through the inaugural Give Ozarks Day, hosted by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.

To put that in perspective, St. Louise Knauer, senior vice president for communications and marketing, told the News-Leader on Wednesday that everyone at CFO put some time into Give Ozarks and a core team of about five made it happen.

Knauer said they expected a slow buildup to the event which was intended to introduce more people to online giving and philanthropy and introduce nonprofits to new ways of attracting donors.