 |
United Way Announces Community
Campaign Total of $9.8 Million in Charitable Giving for 2002
January 30 , 2003
Over 400 volunteers and donors celebrated a
remarkable $9,849,200 in charitable giving in 2002 at the
United Way of Pierce County Warm Your Heart Victory Celebration
held Wednesday night at the Landmark Convention Center in
Tacoma. The total includes $8,816,000 raised through the United
Way community campaign, Combined Federal Campaign and the
Washington State Combined Fund Drive.
Apart from funds raised through the annual community
campaign, United Way leaders announced additional gifts totaling
$1,033,200 from other community efforts. They included $127,661
worth of volunteer time to complete 79 community projects
facilitated by United Way; $52,200 through the Season of Caring
program providing gifts and food for needy families during
the holidays; $20,800 through the Back to School initiative,
which provides school supplies and clothes for children living
in poverty; an endowment of $15,000 from the Willie Stewart
Community Service Golf Classic for youth scholarships, $526,989
from Gifts In Kind (donated products); and $290,550 in cash
grants for special program services.
"We knew that this was going to be a tough
year when we started planning and setting our goals for the
2002 campaign," said Rick Allen, United Way of Pierce
County president. "Our corporate customers warned that
we needed to be very cautious, but we were not able to predict
was the overwhelming generosity and support from the Pierce
County community when the chips were down. It is truly inspirational
to see the resilience of our community. Thousands of citizens
stepped up to ensure that help is available to people facing
adversities and difficult times throughout Pierce County."
At the event, United Way thanked Pamela Transue,
President of Tacoma Community College, as the 2002 Campaign
Chair and introduced Melanie Dressel, President and Chief
Operating Officer of Columbia Bank, as the 2003 campaign chair.
The dollars raised will immediately be
put to use in the Pierce County area through local agency
programs funded by United Way volunteers. Local citizen volunteers
decide where to best invest donor dollars for the most impact
on critical issues in our community. Examples are programs
at Lutheran Community Services, Boys & Girls Clubs of
Pierce County, Centro Latino, Lakewood Area Shelter Association,
Helping Hand House in Puyallup and Key Peninsula Community
Services.
.
|
|
