SALISBURY — Livingstone College launched its annual United Negro College Fund campaign to a good start on Friday with a concert and fundraising ahead of schedule.

The campaign set a goal to raise $10,000 by the start of the show, and Livingstone UNCF director Deborah Johnson told the crowd the campaign already raised $12,000. Donations were still coming in. The kickoff was named “An Evening on the Green” — a return to the annual concert for the campaign. It was canceled last year due to the pandemic.

Johnson said the college changes up the format, sometimes holding the concert inside and sometimes outside. Given the state of the COVID-19 pandemic, the college opted to hold it on the main lawn on campus.

The show featured the Livingstone Gospel Choir, a quartet from Salisbury Symphony, Pat “Mother Blues” Cohen and local R&B band Divided by Four. The show was free, but the college accepted donations. Johnson said the college invites people to come back, but it also aims to bring in new additions each year. The Salisbury Symphony and the band were new additions for this year’s show.

Johnson said there is something nice about having music in the air. She was happy to have the program back this year.

Johnson said the event was a good way to meet people who may want to give in the future. Leading up to the event, people were asking how to make contributions.

Livingstone Chief Operating Officer Anthony Davis commended Livingstone professor Christopher Gray for putting the gospel choir’s set together on short notice, noting students have only been back on campus since shortly after Labor Day.

Davis said he enjoys bringing the community together and it gives them an opportunity to invest in one of its partnerships.

“Each year UNCF provides some of the unrestricted support that enables us to do many of the things that we do, including scholarships and executing our mission,” Davis said.

Livingstone is one of 37 colleges and universities that are part of UNCF. Its goal for this year’s campaign is to raise $125,000 by March 31.

The funding Livingstone receives through UNCF can be used for college operations, scholarships and internships for students who do not have the resources to get a higher education.