United Way Campaign Enters Final Month

We Need Your Support

IRMS EMPLOYEES SUPPORT THE INAGURAL STUFF THE BUS PROGRAM WITH A WORKPLACE FOOD DRIVE.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, United Way of Collier County is marching toward this year’s campaign goal of $2,750,000.

As of early February, the campaign, which ends on March 31, had brought in a total of just over $2,260,000, largely due to highly successful workplace campaigns throughout Collier County.

HOW YOUR BUSINESS CAN PARTICIPATE

A company of any size can conduct a workplace campaign, which usually takes a week or two to run.

No donation is too small to help make a difference, and the United Way staff can handle much of the campaign, so that your staff can focus on running your business. There are also several other ways that companies can help with the Community Campaign:

• Give a corporate gift or offer a corporate match of employee gift
• Donate a portion of proceeds from the sale of items or services
• Allow your employees to participate in United Way’s Days of Caring
• Conduct special events, contests, and games

COMMUNITY LEADERS GATHER TO ANNOUNCE 2014-15 CAMPAIGN KICK OFF.

HOW UNITED WAY USES YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS

Do you know where your United Way contribution goes? Who in our community benefits? What kinds of services are available?

The answers may surprise you: approximately one third of residents of Collier County – more than 108,000 people – receive support from United Way of Collier County each year. That support can come in many different forms, and anyone in our community may at some time receive help from a United Way Partner Agency or from a program run directly by United Way. The organization’s 33 partner agencies provide a wide range of services: affordable child care, health care, food banks, after school programs, legal assistance, assistance for those with disabilities or debilitating illnesses, and many others.

Many who receive assistance are employees of local businesses, or the families of those employees. They struggle to make ends meet in spite of having a job; when they need help with meeting the basic needs of their families, United Way is there to help.

Steve Sanderson, President and CEO of United Way of Collier County, notes that “We have always funded safety-net programs that over the years have been lifelines for many in our community.

UNITED WAY PRESENTS PUBLIX EMPLOYEES WITH TOKENS OF APPRECIATION.

Many families and individuals in our community face barriers that they cannot control, and one financial emergency may be all it takes to cause an already struggling family to slip into poverty.

When we provide help when it is needed most, employers benefit from reduced absenteeism and from having happier, more focused employees. Employees benefit because they are able to achieve a more promising future – one in which they don’t just survive, but they thrive!”

In addition, United Way administers the Collier 211 Information and Referral help line and website. Anyone who needs to find access to services can call 211 or 239.263.4211 or go to www.collier211.org at any time of the day or night for referral to services that provide food, housing, medical care, child care, and more.

Tom Donahue, General Manager and Director of Food and Beverage at Shula’s Steak House and this year’s Campaign Chair, notes that “In short, the mission of United Way of Collier County is to advance the common good by focusing on the building blocks for a good quality of life – education, income, health, and safety net services.”

For more information about how to participate in this year’s Community Campaign, either as a company or as an individual, call Elizabeth Morano, Vice President of Resource Development, at 239.261.7112 ext. 204 or email her at elizabeth.morano@uwcollier.org. You can also contribute to the campaign online at www.uwcollier.org, or you can mail a check to United Way of Collier
County, 9015 Strada Stell Court, Suite 204, Naples, FL 34109.

2014-15 Exceptional Workplace Campaigns:

• Publix employees in Collier County have pledged a total of $565,448.32. Corporate matching funds from Publix total $423,200, for a total contribution of $988,648.32, which is a 4% increase over last year’s total.
• UPS giving this year is up by 22%, with employee contributions of $21,046.48 and corporate matching funds of $4,656.90, for a total of $25,703.38.
• Nordstrom has made significant contributions at both the Waterside Shoppes store ($23,803.00) and The Rack ($5,334.00).