You saw the need. And through Kitsap Great Give, you responded.

Whether you gave $5 or $500, you are part of something great. A miracle? Indeed it is.

There were 7,658 gifts totaling $1.62 million to the Kitsap Great Give on May 2.

In a 24-hour period of giving, Kitsap residents gave what they could to support local nonprofits that care for and find homes for animals, fund arts and cultural programs, meet basic needs in our communities, support education, protect the environment, and provide health care, human services and programs for youth.

More than 200 local nonprofits are the beneficiaries. And so are you, because these nonprofits work hard for you.

In participating in the Kitsap Great Give, you are part of a great American tradition. As we wrote here on April 28, according to the National Philanthropic Trust, the largest source of charitable giving in 2015 came from individuals at $268.28 billion, or 71 percent of total giving; followed by foundations ($57.19 billion/16 percent), bequests ($28.72 billion/9 percent), and corporations ($18.46 billion/5 percent).

In other words, it’s you, Jane and John Q. Public — you who punch time cards, work in the Mom and Pops, manage our local stores — that not only make America work, but (dare we say it?) truly make America great. You are a thread in America’s community safety net. That you are willing to dig deep to have your neighbor’s back says a lot about our country.

Kitsap Great Give is organized by the Kitsap Community Foundation and the United Way of Kitsap County. Those organizations collect no fees; each tax-deductible donation goes directly to the nonprofit or nonprofits of the donor’s choice. And for each donation made on May 2, an additional donation was made by a local sponsor.

You made a difference. You are part of something great — the local safety net. Thank you.