From now until Dec. 7, UGA faculty and staff have the opportunity to help create an even stronger community through the 2019 Campaign for Charities.
“The Campaign for Charities is a great opportunity for all UGA staff and faculty to come together around an event that benefits the local Athens community as well as the larger state,” said Denise Spangler, dean of the College of Education and honorary chair of the campaign.
The theme for this year’s campaign, which provides faculty and staff an opportunity to donate to more than 1,100 charitable organizations that are part of the State Charitable Contributions Program, is “Shaping Our Future Through Giving.”
“There are a wide variety of charities from which to choose, so you can select one that speaks to you personally,” Spangler said. “From providing books for young children, to providing health care to the underserved, to offering shelter and food to our neediest neighbors, to supporting research to cure life-threatening diseases, the Campaign for Charities benefits organizations across the state.”
For 18 consecutive years, UGA has been awarded the Governor’s Cup for the highest contribution per employee of a state organization with at least 9,000 employees. To build upon this past success, the goal of this year’s campaign is to raise $400,000 with 15 percent of faculty and staff participating.
“UGA has historically been very generous, contributing nearly $400,000 to charities last year,” Spangler said. “We hope to grow that tradition this year by increasing both the amount we donate and the percentage of employees who make a donation.”
United Way of Northeast Georgia is just one of the nonprofits shaping this community’s future.
“We really want to say thank you to all the UGA employees who contribute as part of the Campaign for Charities,” said Gerry Taylor, vice president for resource development at United Way of Northeast Georgia. “Your contributions both in time and dollars are appreciated and go to the betterment of thousands of citizens in our Northeast Georgia area.”
All of the organizations, agencies and programs at United Way of Northeast Georgia fall under three issue areas: education, financial stability and health.
Contributions to United Way of Northeast Georgia helped provide 81,000 meals to families and older adults with food insecurities and support 36,000 children with after-school and summer programming. In addition, approximately 7,000 underinsured and uninsured adults and children received primary and dental health care, and more than 8,000 calls were answered by United Way of Northeast Georgia’s 2-1-1 program, which closes the gap between those in need and those with the resources to meet that need by connecting individuals or families with the right agency.
Athens Community Council on Aging is another nonprofit benefiting from the Campaign for Charities.
“For more than 50 years, the Athens Community Council on Aging has been known for providing high-quality services that engage, support and celebrate living well and aging well,” said Erin Beasley, ACCA’s director of operations. “The quality and scope of our programming are directly tied to charitable giving. Each dollar the UGA Campaign for Charities donates allow us to secure $9 in federal, state and local funding. Your donations provide meals, health and wellness programming and support for family caregivers.”
All UGA employees will receive information about this year’s campaign through their unit’s Campaign Captains. Faculty and staff are encouraged to return the pledge card via campus mail or make a pledge online at http://charities.uga.edu.
Donations are anonymous.
As an added incentive, there will be a series of weekly drawings for prizes in November among those who submit pledge forms or pledge electronically, whether or not a donation is made.
Prizes include tickets to UGA athletic events, bookstore gift cards, a football signed by UGA football head coach Kirby Smart and free parking. Follow the campaign on Facebook, where winners will be announced.
For any questions, contact the budget office at 706-542-2802 or budgets@uga.edu.
