Stephen W. "Steve" Imler, a retired Marietta CPA, is personally covering the operational costs of Cobb Community Foundation's 2026 Match Magic campaign.
His support pays for printing, mailing and paid social media so that every donated dollar flows directly to the 31 participating nonprofits, according to East Cobb News. The foundation also spotlighted Imler's giving philosophy in a profile carried by the Marietta Daily Journal on Oct. 17. Imler deliberately puts his name on donations, the foundation said, hoping the visibility will prompt others to give.
That approach is visible at LiveSafe Resources, the state-certified domestic violence program for Cobb County. Imler funded the Steve Imler Shelter for Pets in Crisis there, which is being established to house animals belonging to survivors of domestic violence. The shelter still needs support for staff training, routine maintenance, veterinary care and off-site housing for animals when capacity is full, according to LiveSafe Resources' donation page.
LiveSafe Resources, founded in 1917 as the YWCA of Northwest Georgia, opened the first domestic violence shelter in Georgia in 1978. The organization served more than 3,700 people in 2025, including over 2,000 in Cobb County, according to a West Cobb City Lifestyle profile.
Imler's other recipients include the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre, the Humane Society of Cobb County, the Atlanta Humane Society and the Cobb Journalism Fund, the foundation's profile stated.
Match Magic, in its fourth year in 2026, pairs nonprofits with storytelling coaching, communications tools and a shared match pool that stretches individual gifts. It opens Nov. 10 and runs through 11:59 p.m. Dec. 1, which falls on GivingTuesday and GA Gives Day.
The match pool has reached $160,000 toward a $250,000 goal. The Atlanta Braves and Walton Communities Apartment Homes each contributed $50,000 as lead donors. Genuine Parts Company gave $25,000 and S.A. White Oil Company gave $20,000.
Last year, 27 organizations and matching funds combined to generate $1,710,586 in three weeks. Among 2025 participants, 93% reported gaining new donors and 89% said they reached a new audience.
"The numbers are extraordinary, but the real magic is what remains after the campaign ends," Shari Martin, president and CEO of Cobb Community Foundation, said in the East Cobb News report. "Nonprofits leave with clearer stories, practical tools they can use again and new … people who understand and care about their work."
The campaign opens Nov. 10. Donors can give directly to any of the 31 organizations through that organization's Match Magic page or contribute to the match pool before the campaign begins.
