United Way of Pierce County Recognizes Community Partners and Celebrates Record-Breaking Community Campaign for 2004

Over 500 volunteers and donors celebrated the community's success in raising over $10.2 million to protect the safety net of services and address the toughest issues in Pierce County through United Way.

United Way Board Chair Alan Spence and Community Campaign Chair and 2004 Business Leader of the Year Bob Magee announced a record $9,160,000 in fundraising efforts.

Apart from dollars raised through the annual community campaign, United Way leaders announced additional gifts totaling $1,067,134 from other community efforts. They include $105,118 worth of volunteer time to complete 88 community projects facilitated by United Way; $31,585 through Season of Caring providing gifts and food for needy families during the holidays; $29,606 through the Back to School initiative, which provides school supplies and clothes for children living in poverty; an endowment of $25,000 from the Willie Stewart Community Service Golf Classic for youth scholarships, $602,574 from Gifts In Kind (donated products) and $273,251 in grants and bequests.

In 2004, donations helped fund 111 programs at 57 local agencies in Pierce County, including helping people with housing, food, job training and other health and human service issues. Dollars raised through the community campaign will also help to resolve critical issues affecting Pierce County - housing availability, child and youth services and access to healthcare.

Our community's goals for these issues include the following:

1. Increase housing for people who are homeless or unable to afford permanent shelter. Housing volunteers will work with the Tacoma/Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium to attract funding necessary to build more units for families in need.

2. Ensure that Pierce County's children are ready to learn upon entering school and that youth have organized and constructive activities at safe and secure locations after school. This group of volunteers will bring many children and youth community agencies together to increase Pierce County's ability better serve our kids.

3. Help ensure the public's ability to access healthcare in our community. The healthcare volunteers will launch the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry program in Pierce County, which could result in hundreds of children getting the dental care they need but can't afford.

Special recognition was given to Columbia Bank led by Melanie Dressel, Russell Investment Group led by Craig Ueland and Rainier Pacific led by John Hall for their outstanding performance and exceptional commitment to the Pierce County community. Each of these businesses share three key traits making their volunteer and charitable giving efforts successful - strong corporate leadership, dynamic coordinator teams and generous employees who are willing to open their hearts and give of their time, talent and treasure.

The following awards were also announced at the event:

· New Coordinator Of The Year Award: Dawn Vetrovec From Costco Wholesale - Puyallup
· New Coordinator Team Of The Year: Puget Sound Energy
· Inaugural Campaign Of The Year Award: Triwest Healthcare Alliance
· Agency Speaker Of The Year: Labor Volunteer, Jerry Ehnat
· The Working Together Award: United Parcel Service And Teamsters 313
· Innovation Award: The Port Of Tacoma
· Nonprofit Campaign Partner Of The Year Award: Helping Hand House
· Public Sector Partner Of The Year: Bethel School District
· Small Business Of The Year: Brown And Brown Insurance
· Leadership Giving Campaign Of The Year Award: Bon Macy's Puyallup
· Coordinator Team Of The Year: Rainier Pacific Bank
· Coordinator Of The Year Award: Darrell Jesse From Jesse Engineering
· Campaign Of The Year Award: Russell Investment Group
· Spirit of Pierce County Award: Tacoma Public Utilities

Magee also introduced City Manager Jim Walton as the 2005 Community Campaign Chair. Walton is a past United Way of Pierce County Board Member.

The dollars raised will be put to use in the Pierce County area, though local agency programs selected 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 the YWCA, Centro Latino, Lakewood Area Shelter Association, Helping Hand House in Puyallup and Children's Home Society.

Watch the United Way of Pierce County Warm Your Heart video.

The Warm Your Heart victory celebration is sponsored by Merrill Lynch, Columbia Bank, State Farm Insurance, Staging Techniques, Totem Ocean Trailer Express and Union Bank of California.