In 2016, the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation, then under a different name, began a community support program. Now ten years later, the Copper Shores’ Giving Tuesday has come to shine a bright light on the non-profit community working in the Copper Country. In that time, the campaign raised $5.8 million for non-profit organizations in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Last year the campaign raised over $1.1 million to support 60 local causes. This year’s group includes close to 70 organizations.
Ten years ago, Michael Babcock and Kevin Store couldn’t predict how much of a success Giving Tuesday has become. The annual fundraiser highlights the incredible work of dedicated non-profits, share with those groups tools and resources to continue the momentum from November and connects the community with organizations they can volunteer with throughout the year.
The month-long fundraising campaign works closely with non-profits to tell their story. Initially, the foundation figured Giving Tuesday would at the very least help non-profits form stronger connections with donors and supporters.
“It was fairly new at that time, the whole concept of Giving Tuesday as a movement. And we took that on and had some internal discussion about this is a way for us to really challenge the community in the spirit of giving,” said Kevin Store, CEO of the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation. “We went out that first year with the challenge saying you know let’s challenge the community to put their money where their heart is.”
“And that’s one of the reasons that our Giving Tuesday has grown so much is we now have a lot of nonprofits that aren’t doing things that people might have thought were health related, but they’re really helping bring people together in a healthy way and moving our community forward,” said Director of Marketing and Donor Relations, Michael Babcock. “And those nonprofits too have been a huge help in making our community a better place to live and work and play. And we’rereally proud to be working with all of them every year.”
In 2026 the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation marks a special anniversary alongside the campaign, the celebration of ten years. Kevin Store says he’s been impressed by a lot surrounding Giving Tuesday. But has been most impressed by the national recognition Giving Tuesday has provided to the Copper Country through careful planning and incredible execution by Michael and the team.
“Michael’s not only gained experience from, you know, the national presence, but has brought a lot of our lessons learned to other organizations throughout the country,” said Store.“So again, it’s just really been, I think, a little bit overwhelming when you start thinking about how this little community has been able to set an example for so many. How this community has really set the standard in the Upper Peninsula. And again, I think everybody that participates, all of our agencies, our team here, and all of the donors have an awful lot to be proud of in how they represent and step up for one another.”
Giving Tuesday started with a handful of non-profits the foundation had regularly worked with for that first year. Each year the campaign has grown, including new organizations. Babcock says its always a wonderful experience to learn about the new organizations that will participate in Giving Tuesday.
“Giving Tuesdays really started as a social media campaign and that’s where the heart of what we do is trying to make sure that the stories of these nonprofits gets out there,” shared Babcock. “And you can tell it’s working both because we see a larger number of donations come in every year and because every year more and more nonprofits are raising their hands saying they want to be part of it. And you saw that again this year when we put applications out we had 15 new groups apply from the previous years that we didn’t expect.”
Raising awareness and connecting with supporters can be difficult for non-profits to manage. Executive directors, boards of trustees, and prominent volunteers may let communications fall behind after focusing heavily on executing their missions. However, in recent years, Copper Shores Giving Tuesday has worked to supply groups with tools they can use throughout the year.
“We put a lot of financial resources behind the Giving Tuesday initiative. You know, for our donors, 100 % of the donations that come in go to the organizations that they’re making donations to. We don’t take any additional fees off of that. We absorb all of the service fees and bank fees and things like that,” explained Store. “Soit’sactually quite a bit of expense. But when you look at the return on the investment for our community partners to have the level of unrestricted contribution, mission-focused contributions coming in, that’s just an added benefit. I mean, it really helps them with additional money that they can make a decision on what’s the best way to utilize those funds.”
“We have an amplification fund that goes out there, and that means that every donation that comes in will be bigger than what came directly to them. But the donors that support these organizations are the ones that care about the work thatthey’re doing, added Babcock. “So our job over the next, we’ve already started this the last couple weeks, and we’re gonna continue doing it for the next six weeks, is to make sure that they know how to communicate with their donors, how to make sure they spread the word out about what they’re doing and give them the tools, you know, the idea of going fishing, right? You want to teach them how to fish, not just give them fish.”
Access to Giving Tuesday’s network of donors and support provides non-profits with unrestricted funding. For several organizations that rely on state and federal funding programs, these dollars can fill gaps to maintain shelter homes or existing services. For other groups, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, that unrestricted funds were a lifeline during the Covid pandemic. When many youth programs faced the possibility of shutting down. Unlike grant funding or state and federal dollars, unrestricted funds can fill gaps that maintainexisting structures and services.
Giving Tuesday with the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation will include close to 70 causes. The organizations participating in 2026 include non-profits working directly with seniors, food access programs, and students. The campaign’sevolvement over the years has extended into recreation and economic organizations, such as the Copper Harbor Trails Club and the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance.
The causes include the original ten organizations, and fifteen new groups that will impact the community. Giving Tuesday begins on November 1st, and will officially begin accepting donations when Copper Shores launches the 2026 donation portal.
Throughout the month learn about the different non-profit organizations with My UP News and Keweenaw Report with the Giving Tuesday Spotlight Series. Find organization spotlights linked below.
Those interested in supporting Giving Tuesday with the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation can find more information here.
Giving Tuesday Non-profits in 2026:
#GiveCopperCountry Amplification Fund
31 Backpacks
Adventure Mountain Lions
Baraga County Cancer Support Group
Baraga County Shelter Home
Baraga County Trails in Motion
Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home
BHK Child Development
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Bootjack Fire and Rescue Formation
Calumet Art Center
Camp Josh
Chassell Emergency Services Fund
Copper Country Angel Mission
Copper Country Bird Club
Copper Country community Arts Center
Copper Country Habitat for Humanity
Copper Country Humane Society
Copper Country Junior Hockey Association
Copper Country Police and Fire Relief Fund
Copper Country Recycling Initiative
Copper Country Ski Tigers
Copper Country Snowsports Club
Copper Country Suzuki Association
Copper Harbor Trails Club
Copper Shores Bridges
Copper Shores General
Copper Shores Meals on Wheels
Copper Shores Outreach & Education
Copper Shores Victim Support
Dan Schmitt Gift of Music and Outdoor Education Fund
Elaine Bacon Literacy Program
Feeding Friends Fund
Friends of the Porkies
From the Ground Farmers Market Collective
Gay Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary
Hancock Trails Club
Isle Royale & Keweenaw Parks Association
Keweenaw ATV Club
Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance
Keweenaw Land Trust
Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition
Keweenaw Random Acts of Community Kindness
Keweenaw Roller Derby
Keweenaw Search & Rescue
Keweenaw Snowmobile Club
Lake Gogebic Senior Citizens Club, Inc.
Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly
Main Street Calumet
Mercy EMS
Oak House
Omega House
Ontonagon Artist Collective
Ontonagon Amateur Hockey Association
Ontonagon County Cancer Association
Pewabic Street Community Garden
Phoenix House
Real People Media
Right Start UP
Simple Kindness for Youth
Sökē Trails
Soldier Salvation
Swedetown Trails Club
Third Coast Diving and Adaptive Recreation
Throttle Out Cancer
Tree House Family Resources
Unitē Mental Health & Wellness
Woodland Hills Preschool
