A fundraiser by volunteers in St. Charles has raised $20,000 to fund random acts of kindness throughout the community.

According to a Random Acts Matter news release, RAM’s September fundraiser “An Afternoon of Random Acts” was a remarkable success.

RAM members will use the money to brighten up the day of community members who are nominated. Nominations may come from anyone within the St. Charles area for anyone that also lives in St. Charles.

Past acts have included gift baskets for a person who just got a cancer diagnosis, a bike for a child and new school outfits for children for the new school year. The organization is approaching its 200^th act of kindness since organizers began the effort.

“It’s a grassroots movement to let community members know they’re noticed, that they matter and are cared for,” said Sharon LeGare, the lead RAM volunteer coordinator. “We’re given a budget to work with, and from there, after consulting with the person who nominated the person in need, we decide what’s the best route to take.”

As a volunteer organization, all monetary contributions go directly into funding the various kindness and compassion projects for those recommended from their online submissions.

Jim Di Caula, interviewed on NBC 5. (CREDIT: NBC 5 video)

“It signifies community coming together,” RAM founder Jim Di Caula said. “And that’s what makes it so impactful because you see your neighbors, you see your friends, you see your business partners and you see recipients — and they’re all there for a common purpose, which is to help our neighbor.

“Being able to break bread together and enjoy music within the community we call home is a humbling and heartwarming experience. You can see that when we’re all together that we’re all filled with care.”

To learn more about how to nominate a fellow neighbor in need of some light, go to: https://www.randomactsmatter.com/nominate.

SOURCE: RAM news release