Meeting Milo C. Treat’s challenge to raise $200,000 before Christmas required organization. Henry L. Morehouse recruited Everett T. Tomlinson to lead the effort. They organized committees in each state and reached out to individual ministers. At the end of the first week of December, however, the effort was still $100,000 short. A few days earlier, Morehouse received a letter from John D. Rockefeller with instructions not to open it until noon on Christmas day. At noon on Christmas day, still $18,000 short of the goal, Morehouse opened the letter. Rockefeller offered to contribute as much as $40,000. Rockefeller continued to support MMBB. The value of his gift exceeded $6 million and helped ensure MMBB’s success.