Mark Stebbins and Jeff Johnston are well known on the Seacoast and have long been supportive of arts and other nonprofit organizations. Mark and Jeff, recognizing the need was great due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were contemplating making individual contributions to various Seacoast nonprofits when they realized the impact they could generate by pooling their resources could be much greater. When they committed to a matching challenge to leverage additional contributions, Together 200 was born.
Mark and Jeff challenged the Portsmouth community to raise $100,000 and pledged to match those donations with their own contribution of $100,000. Funds raised would benefit 3S Artspace, Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, Prescott Park Arts Festival, Seacoast Repertory Theater and The Music Hall, as well as Cross Roads House, Take Out Hunger, and Gather. The intent for the fund was to bridge the critical 100 days leading up to the hoped-for busy summer season.
As of April 8, Together 200 had met its $100,000 goal. Mark and Jeff then pledged an additional $25,000 match in hopes of bringing the total raised to $250,000 and renamed the challenge Together 250! They also agreed to match the contribution of the Presenting Sponsor of All Together Now, a collaborative fundraiser to benefit 3S Artspace, Prescott Park Arts Festival, and The Music Hall. Potential sponsors found this matching offer inspiring as it simultaneously doubled their support and generated additional awareness for their good work.
Both men have acknowledged the importance of arts and social service organizations in maintaining a thriving region. As Mark said, “The community is very important to us both emotionally and economically, and we know from the three hotels we own together how important the arts are to the community and bringing people into the community and bringing tourism into the community.”
Sadly, Mark passed away suddenly in June. His wife Sally, son John, and daughters Jen and Lisa will accept the award in his memory.