United Way Campaign Sets $50,000 Goal

By Josh Salman: Managiaging Editor

UNF launched its 12th annual campaign to support the United Way of Northeast Florida Aug. 18 to help generate money for the needy in the community.

UNF administrators are hoping to raise $40,000-50,000 for the United Way through employee payroll deductions and department contests.

Each department within the university has split and is competing amongst one another in an attempt to raise the most donations. The different departments will have bake sales, contests and challenges to try to encourage employees to get involved.

“We feel we are a part of the community, and United Way is a good vehicle to contribute to those in need,” UNF President John Delaney said. “I’ve seen when departments have gotten excited about United Way it improves their morale and makes it a better department, even when they’re giving away some of their own money to others.”

Since United Way is an established agency, it already has its overhead and programming funded, and the extra money the organization receives from UNF allows it to extend its reach and touch more people throughout the community, Delaney said.

“ With payroll deduction, you don’t even see it, it just comes out, and at the end of the year you get a statement that shows what you contributed so you can deduct it from your taxes,” Delaney said.

More than 50 UNF staff members joined Delaney and United Way representatives for a kick-off ceremony Aug. 18 in the Fine Arts Center to share success stories and learn about United Way’s core values.

Delaney said he hopes the luncheon will make this year’s campaign one of the strongest ever, even during the current economic downturn.

“Often we find people give more in a recession because they know there’s other people out there with needs,” Delaney said. “We just try to get a little better every year.”

United Way staffers are hoping to raise $25 million regionally this fiscal year, focusing the majority of their donations on early childhood, childhood education and the elderly.

“[UNF] has been very supportive over the years,” said Connie Hodges, president and CPO of United Way of Northeast Florida. “We don’t target where specific dollars go, we just spread it throughout all of our campaigns.”

One of the campaigns United Way staffers are focusing on this year is “Success by 6,” a community collaboration providing positive development experiences to local children.

Research shows that 60 percent of Northeast Florida incoming kindergarteners weren’t ready to enter kindergarten and 30 percent of third graders read below their grade level.

United Way of Northeast Florida directs $1,095,699 annually to help prepare children to succeed in school.

“The storm really threw us off this past week, so we haven’t been able to track the donations thus far,” said Mike Biagini, United Way campaign chairman at UNF. “This year we are taking a different approach, so I think the donations will come in spurts.”

E-mail Josh Salman at managing@unfspinnaker.com.