Giving challenges have become an exciting part of the Great Green Give. Each year, challenge donors inspire the George School community by offering opportunities to double or triple the impact of their gift.

More than just a fundraising event, the Great Green Give shines a light on the transformative power of a George School education. Every gift — large or small — sparks impact.

The Cadwallader family established a challenge fund for the arts during last year’s Great Green Give that created impact larger than themselves. 

The family’s tradition at George School goes back a long way. Deborah (Cadwallader) Taylor ’84’s grandparents met at George School. She and her father, William Cadwallader, Jr. ’56, shared the same chemistry teacher. And as part of the fourth generation of her family to attend, she shared its leafy campus along with three cousins.

Reflecting on last year’s Great Green Give, Deb explained why her family decided to contribute in this special way. 

How did the fund come about?

“My dad was a veterinarian in upstate New York, and my parents were really committed to being involved in the community up there,” said Deb. “As they aged, they set up other initiatives. And George School was foundational for me and my dad.” 

After a disappointing freshman year at public school, her mother nudged her to try George School. Deb enrolled for her sophomore year … and quickly began to flourish.

“George School was a real gift that my parents gave me,” said Deb. “I think we chose to fund the arts because that was such an influential area for me.” 

Deb also played field hockey and lacrosse, taking a page from her father’s book: He, too, was happily hyphenated as an athlete-and-theater student. “George School makes sure you’re well-rounded,” she said. “You can be an athlete and an artist and a scholar and just a good person.” 

"The family recognized that in recent years, many schools had been trimming arts programming — often to the bone — and that funding typically went to other initiatives. Deb said this reality was a key motivator for her family to establish the fund to bolster George School arts."

Why does arts education matter?

“When you’re in the arts, you also learn history and culture. It allows you to see things on a different level. I know more about ancient history because I took art history,” she said. “Doing art at any level gives people more appreciation for diversity of thought. It gives people the other side of themselves.

“That’s why we continue to give to George School,” Deb continued. “There are pieces of ourselves that grew there, in the arts.” 

As George School gears up for this year’s Great Green Give, it is clear that the day has become more than just a tradition — it is a celebration of community. Join us as we come together on Friday, February 20, 2026 in support of the George School Fund, which fuels every aspect of the George School experience. 

If you are interested in creating a matching gift challenge, please contact Director of Engagement and the George School Fund Kelliann Carroll at (215) 579-6572 or at kcarroll@georgeschool.org.

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Make your gift here (early gifts count!) and check your inbox and social media for Great Green Give updates, matching challenges and the opportunity to win George School swag.