Case Study: Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star raises $170,000 and exceeds virtual event goals with Greater Giving

Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star - Customer Case Study

Big Brothers Big Sisters Houston, which serves more than 2,000 youth across the Greater Houston area, faced a major challenge in 2020 when their signature BIG Taste event—an annual, food-centered fundraiser that typically raised about $160,000—couldn’t proceed in person due to the pandemic. Organizers had to pivot to a virtual format while preserving the tasting experience, keeping guests engaged online, and keeping sponsors on board despite restaurants’ limited ability to participate.

They launched BIG Taste at Home with $250 ticketed “swag bags” (tastes, wine, cocktail mixers), filmed chef demos shown during a Zoom livestream, an early-opened silent auction, and a live Giving Board managed by Greater Giving’s Virtual Professional Event Services; a professional AV team handled production. The result: $170,000 raised (exceeding goals), a $17,000 silent auction (vs. $10,000 target), about 200 households engaged through the finale, sponsors retained and expanded, and lower event costs so more funds went to the cause.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star