When we arrived at the Communities Foundation of Texas on Caruth Haven for North Texas Giving Day, we were greeted by some very tall ladies. Turns out these women were stilt walkers from Amphibian Stage Productions, a Fort Worth-based theater company – and one of 929 nonprofits benefiting from this charitable day.

This was the fourth annual North Texas Giving Day, designed to raise awareness for North Texas-area nonprofits as well as fill their coffers. From 7 am to midnight September 13, any donation $25 and up made via Donor Bridge was matched by some percentage from a pool of around $1 million. For regular supporters of these charities – or for first-time or occasional givers – North Texas Giving Day is the time to donate a little extra, knowing it will be bolstered by matching funds.

This was the first year the Communities Foundation turned giving day into a full-fledged event. Festivities included performances from local arts organizations (the aforementioned Amphibian Stage Productions plus groups like Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Anita M. Martinez Ballet Folklorico), appearances by Dallas Zoo animals, and food-on-wheels from vendors like Ruthie’s Rolling Cafe and Rock Star Bake Shop.

But fun was only one goal for the day. This was serious fundraising business. As many of the 26,000 donations rolled in via the Donor Bridge website, visitors like us were invited to donate onsite at laptops set up inside the CFT building. And the staff was eager to educate us about the beneficiaries and share stories. To ensure success, the foundation contracted Austin-based technology firm Kimbia, capable of iTunes-level transactions, to process the donations coming in from all 50 states, some U.S. territories and as many as 16 countries – including Kazakhstan. This was truly a global effort.

After taking a tour of the donation center and making our pledges, we grabbed a bite at Jack’s Chowhound. When we looked up at the leader board on our way out, we realized that total donations had increased by more than $1 million since our arrival two hours prior.

Turns out North Texas Giving Day raised a record-breaking $14.4 million. Topping the leaderboard was the Salvation Army of Texas at $554,483, followed by Ursuline Academy, at $265,497. The Dallas Arboretum also had a good day, with 25 gifts totaling $206,228.