Minnesotans donated more than $37 million to state nonprofits during Thursday's Give to the Max Day — setting a record in the 16 years of the statewide giving event.

The previous record was set in 2021 with a total of $34.4 million in donations.

This year's Give to the Max broke a second record late Thursday afternoon when it surpassed the total number of organizations receiving a gift in pre-pandemic years, said Jake Blumberg, executive director of GiveMN, which organizes the annual event. More than 6,400 nonprofits had received support. Seeing the amount of support continue to pour in late Thursday night, Blumberg said he was feeling great.

"Minnesotans have showed up to help their neighbors with a record-breaking result this year," Blumberg said.

Give to the Max is the largest fundraising day of the year for many of Minnesota's nonprofits. This year's event comes as organizations that feed the hungry or help provide shelter to unhoused people are feeling the pinch of higher costs at the grocery store and on utility bills, Blumberg said.

Donations for Give to the Max Day are critical for Can Do Canines, a New Hope-based assistance dog nonprofit that certifies about 40 to 50 service dogs every year, said spokesperson Caren Hansen. As of Thursday afternoon, they'd raised about $70,000.

Anthony Souffle, The Minnesota Star Tribune
Tucker, a three-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, works with trainer Stacy Sheldon-Wilkinson on retrieving items and other skills needed to be a mobility assist dog at Can Do Canines in New Hope on Thursday.

"It's such an important occasion for us because each of our dogs costs about $45,000 to raise and train," Hansen said. "Aside from a $50 application fee, we give every single one of them away free of charge."

Can Do Canines is one of just two Assistance Dogs International-certified service organizations in the state that trains dogs to assist people with disabilities. Before dogs between two and three years old are placed, they undergo training with hundreds of volunteers and partners, including inmates at Minnesota and Wisconsin prisons, college students and corporate employees.

That's possible only because of the support from generous givers in Minnesota and surrounding areas, she said.

"We are simply trying to make more of these life-changing teams. We don't charge at all for them, but there is a big expense to it, and we simply want to continue to make this magic happen," Hansen said.

CAPI, a Brooklyn Center-based nonprofit serving refugees and immigrants that is currently supporting more families than ever with its food shelf, was just over halfway to its goal of $10,000 early Thursday evening, according to Monique Hernandez, development and communications director.

"I've been happily surprised by the larger donations coming in," she said.