Erie’s generosity helped more than 400 local nonprofits Tuesday. As of August 14, the total is $8,266,478.

Nonprofits all over Erie showed their appreciation to the Erie Community Foundation and the people throughout the region who support causes most dear to them.

One of those nonprofits is the Barber National Institute, which helps over 6,000 people here in Erie and throughout the state of Pennsylvania.

“On an annual basis, we provide world-class services to individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism. It isn’t always an easy job. Having events like this kind of reinforces that what we’re doing is the right thing to be doing,” said Bob Barber, senior vice president, of Barber National Institute.

Meanwhile, Ruth Thompson with the ANNA Shelter said Erie Gives is hands down the shelter’s biggest fundraiser of the year.

She added it’s a nerve-wracking day with how crucial these funds can be to help keep their mission going.

“I hate thinking about the money aspect of it because sometimes it’s frightening, and it gets daunting when we think about all we have to do on limited budgets,” said Thompson.

Thompson went on to say it’s so worrying that she doesn’t check the totals until late at night or the next day and added that people shouldn’t view donation totals as a competition between nonprofits.

“If it weren’t for each and every one of us doing what we do in our own little individual sectors, there wouldn’t be so much great stuff happening here in Erie,” Thompson added.

And while some nonprofits say they’re choosing not to check the number totals until all is said and done, others choose to celebrate the support that the Erie community has given as a team.

The Erie United Methodist Alliance (EUMA) hosted a watch party leading up to the final moments of Erie Gives Day.

Kurt Crays, CEO of the EUMA, said so many donors and supporters rallying behind the cause to end homelessness is a blessing.

“We have everyone from people who have been through the program, who’s been a single mom, who’s experienced a housing crisis, who’s now working for us — she and her daughter are doing fantastic and doing well — all the way through a board member who has been with us for 10 years and everybody in between. We are absolutely thrilled to be a part of a community that’s raising this kind of money to end homelessness,” said Crays.

And although those funds are important, some causes had more total donors than others.

The Erie City Mission had over 1,000 gifters, the ANNA Shelter with nearly 900 and the Second Harvest Food Bank had around 850.

The total number of gifts reached 31,656.