Last month, author, comedian, and former Emerson student Sara Benincasa asked “American Gods’’ author Neil Gaiman (inset) if he’d do a live reading of the Cheesecake Factory menu if she raised $500,000 for his charity of choice.

Gaiman agreed, and said he’d like the money to go to UNHCR, the United Nations agency for refugees. Benincasa set a fund-raising deadline of June 20, which happens to be World Refugee Day.

On Tuesday (June 20), Benincasa had brought in more than $100,000. Not quite the goal, but a big sum for just a few weeks of online fund-raising. More than 2,000 people contributed to the cause, many of them donating under the names of Gaiman’s characters. Midday Tuesday, a donor gave $10,000.

“WAIT WHAT. Somebody just gave $10K to get us to $107K and beyond!’’ Benincasa tweeted. “I’m all teary!’’

As of Tuesday afternoon, Gaiman hadn’t said whether he’d read 20 percent of the menu (appetizers and salads?), seeing that Benincasa was able to bring in 20 percent of the goal. Benincasa had said that if the reading actually happened, she’d figure out a way to stream it so that all donors could see it. The site is still taking donations at NeilCake.org.