Last Friday, MATTERnation came together for an extraordinary evening, Stand-Up for a Cause, united by one powerful word: “Yes.” Yes to celebrating the incredible impact we made in 2024, yes to the lives already transformed, and yes to the bold vision of changing even more lives in 2025. And what a resounding “yes” it was! Your generosity raised more than $270,000 to fuel MATTER’s mission, ensuring communities both locally and globally can thrive like never before.
With the MATTER warehouse transformed into a moody night club, laughs were aplenty with our featured guest, Zimbabwe comedian Learnmore Jonasi.
But it wasn’t just the laughter that filled the room—it was the stories. Stories of hope, courage, and life-changing transformation that left hearts full and spirits lifted.
“Tonight I want to talk to you about something simple, yet transformative, “said MATTER President, Quenton Marty. “It’s the power of saying ‘Yes.’ It’s a word we often use without a second thought, but when spoken in the spirit of service and compassion, it’s a word that can change everything.”
See how the power of saying “yes” impacted lives in 2024!
Quenton shared the story of Sheryl, a young woman from Zimbabwe with dreams as bright as her ambition. But living in a country with more than 70% unemployment doesn’t offer young people like Sheryl many opportunities. Several years ago, Dean Hager, former CEO of Jamf, looked across the bleak economic landscape of Zimbabwe and said “yes” to launching a technology education program with MATTER.
After honing her tech and leadership skills in a MATTER Innovation Hub, Sheryl was then selected to attend the MATTER Career Readiness Center in Victoria Falls, where she trained for an internship with a U.S. company. After crushing that opportunity, Sheryl was recently hired as a full-time remote employee with Tradition Capital Bank in Minneapolis – an opportunity that was unthinkable just a few years ago.
After a rousing round of applause, Quenton concluded, “Sheryl’s life is forever changed because Dean Hager and Tradition Capital Bank said yes.”
In ways big and small, we all can say “yes” to help transform lives here in the U.S. and around the world. What can you say “yes” to today? Explore MATTER’s life-changing projects and find your yes here.
Check out the highlights from Stand Up for a Cause!
A huge thank you to everyone who attended this unforgettable evening, as well as our generous sponsors for making it possible!
