The United Way has reached 34% of its campaign goal.
“Our main focus has been personally connecting with our local businesses and donors to let them know that their community needs their support. We also have been showing them how giving to United Way is making a difference and changing peoples’ lives,” said John Knoch, 2012 campaign cabinet co-chair.
About $675,024 of the $1.99 million for the campaign has been raised so far and the money will go to work in Central Alberta in just a few months.
“The impact that donors can have through United Way is vast. We are not only supporting programs and services, but are providing emergency funding to agencies in need. We’ve also created two new grants that help registered charities in the health and social sectors with capital projects and professional development. We look at gaps in our social service sector and are working to fill them to ensure that our community is fully supported and that everyone is receiving the best possible care,” said Robert Mitchell, CEO of United Way of Central Alberta. “This is why a successful campaign is so crucial. Each year the demands increase and we are trying our best to meet those demands, without the support of the community, we can’t fill all the gaps.”
This year’s call to action is ‘Change Starts Here,’ and United Way has focused its marketing strategies around local people who have been helped by local donors to illustrate that change is already happening in Central Alberta.
“By continuing to remind donors that the money raised stays in Central Alberta, it’s been easy for some new companies to join the movement, including Trevita and Nexus,” said Buck Buchanan, 2012 campaign cabinet co-chair.
The money raised during this campaign is put directly back into the community and provides consistent funding to over 30 programs and services in Central Alberta. Last year, 19,613 children and youth received mentorship opportunities, camp experiences, nutrition, education support and tools to reach their full potential. Altogether, over 107,000 people in Central Alberta were helped thanks to donor dollars raised during campaign.
– Fawcett
