The United Way kicked off their fundraising campaign for the season on Sept. 13th and officials with the agency are happy with the results so far, they said.
Lynne Mulder, co-chair of this year’s campaign, is hoping that things pick up rather than slow down.
Mulder wants to keep focus on the breadth and necessity of United Way funded programs. She said rather than have people focus on a numbered goal, she would rather they consider the impact of giving to United Way.
“A lot of people say, ‘I’d be willing to give – but what do you do with my money? What is the impact on the community?’ That is very important to them, and it’s important to us too,” she said.
“All of the money we raise in these campaigns goes right back into the Central Alberta community to non-profit programs and agencies who carry the intent of fulfilling our pillars – allow children to be all they can be, move more people from poverty to possibility and support organizations that build capacity to be sustainable.”
The United Way campaign motto this year is ‘Get off the bench and make a change: Change starts here’.
Mulder said the United Way is tracking close to the same amount of money raised by this time last year. She said that although the funding is steady, she hopes that the community will continue to donate as they consider the range of services that United Way funds and facilitates.
“We usually carry this campaign until the end of December. Although it seems like a lot of time left, this is the time in the campaign where we tend to get a little worried about whether or not we are going to raise enough money. We raised $2.3 million last year, and the need in the community was probably closer to $5 million,” she said. “It is important to raise as much as we can and not put a goal out so that we aren’t limiting ourselves. We obviously would like to raise more than last year, but we are more focused on what we are going to do with that money than we are on a set goal.”
Mulder added she feels Central Alberta is a generous community and that most people appreciate the impact of United Way. Donations can be made online at the Central Alberta United way web site or by calling 403-343-3900.
“The good thing about United Way is that it can be a one-stop shop. When the money comes in, you can even designate where you’d like it to go. We like it better when people don’t, because then it allows us to make decisions of where that money will go based on the need, but it’s an option.”
The campaign will continue until Dec. 31st.
kmendonsa@reddeerexpress.com
