TVFCU’s Dionne Jenkins (yellow sweater), UTC staff and MOC Academy students recognizing TVFCU’s $10,000 gift to MOC Academy on Mocs Give Day.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga raised $1,734,947.42 from 2,131 donors during its fourth annual Mocs Give Day on Oct. 3. The day’s original fundraising goals to raise $1,000,000 from 1,500 donors were exceeded by nearly 73% and 42%, respectively.
“Mocs Give Day is all about the collective power of giving. Almost 80% of all gifts were $100 or less,” said UTC Vice Chancellor of Advancement Kim White. “From supporting scholarships and athletics to study abroad opportunities and student support services, alumni and friends of UTC came together to support the areas on campus they are passionate about.”
With a record number of students—211 in total—giving on Mocs Give Day, an increase of 100% from the previous year, nearly 400 faculty and staff members and 882 alumni gave during Mocs Give Day.
A special highlight this year was $54,000 raised for Scrappy’s Cupboard, which offers various pantry staples, fresh and frozen foods, clothing, feminine care products and household items to UTC students – anonymously and free of charge. Scrappy’s Cupboard has helped more than 1,000 students, with nearly 400 from the previous academic year, and depends entirely on donations. This amount was made possible by a matching gift from Five Star Food Service of $15,000.
Isaiah Southern, a current UTC student and Scrappy’s Cupboard user, said, “Scrappy’s Cupboard has helped me stay focused on my studies and extracurriculars without getting distracted due to hunger.”
UTC Athletics had a strong Mocs Give Day, raising more than $1.1 million from over 700 donors. Each of the five UTC Colleges had impressive fundraising totals, including the Gary W. Rollins College of Business and College of Arts and Sciences coming in the top two spots—raising $175,650 and $123,327, respectively.
In addition to athletics and academic programs, various student support programs like Mosaic, which serves students on the Autism Spectrum, raised $25,876, and MOC Academy, which supports first-year student men of color at UTC, raised more than $13,000, including a $10,000 gift from Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union.
“TVFCU chose to support MOC Academy as it specifically focuses on addressing a crucial need for targeted support and opportunities within an underrepresented demographic,” said Dionne Jenkins, vice president for corporate engagement at TVFCU. “We firmly believe that our investment will catalyze financial stability and holistic well-being for all who are a part of the program, and we are grateful for the opportunity to be a part of these students’ journeys.”
Held on the first Tuesday in October each year, Mocs Give Day is UTC’s annual one-day giving event. In 2022, Mocs Give Day raised more than $1.2 million from 1,475 donors.
Isaiah Southern, a current UTC student and Scrappy’s Cupboard user, said, “Scrappy’s Cupboard has helped me stay focused on my studies and extracurriculars without getting distracted due to hunger.”
