Every year the University of Southern Indiana is proud to run a United Way campaign in our workplace. It’s a way for our organization to do its part in helping to preserve our community’s quality of life, and to help those in need. This year’s campaign will be held October 27-31.

I recognize charitable giving is a personal decision and with a challenging economy, many of us are feeling financial pressure. In light of this, I would like to take this opportunity to briefly explain why I support United Way and how by putting our money together we can make the biggest difference in our community.

Your investment in the community will generate results that you can see – results that are creating fundamental change that help achieve the basics of a good life – education, income and health.  No other gift you give this year will have the impact of your United Way pledge. A gift of any size helps. If you give up just one $4 latte every two weeks and pledge that to United Way, you’ll provide a healthy meal each week for a child or senior in need.

There are many reasons why I support United Way of Southwestern Indiana, but most importantly, I believe that United Way of Southwestern Indiana is a leader in our community and a catalyst for change. By conducting thorough research, it determines local needs and explores best practices and innovative ways to create community solutions.

Through this research, United Way brings together expertise and resources to address our community’s most pressing health and human service issues. Instead of merely addressing the symptoms of a problem, United Way goes deeper to find the root causes and determines how it can create solutions that will profoundly and positively change the lives of thousands of people.

United Way of Southwestern Indiana holds itself accountable not just for implementing solutions, but also for the results. The organization is committed to producing measurable outcomes that it can report to the community.

And it does all of this very efficiently. In 2007, United Way’s administrative and fundraising percentage was 15 percent, which means $.85 of every dollar you give goes directly to more than 75 programs and services offered by United Way and the 33 Partner Agencies.  Your dollars work harder when you give to United Way of Southwestern Indiana.

By joining me in supporting our United Way campaign, you are having a direct impact and creating meaningful, lasting change in your own backyard. We’re looking forward to a phenomenal campaign. Please make your pledge, and thank you for choosing the way to improve our community. Together we can make a difference – Live United!

On Monday, look for additional campaign information and your pledge form in campus mail. To learn more about United Way’s work in the community, visit: www.unitedwayswi.org

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: LISA J. SCHAEFER, USI Campaign coordinator and assistant director, Alumni and Volunteer Services.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 23rd, 2008 at 1:03 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.