Gates pledges $1 million to United Way

AARON CORVIN; The News Tribune
Published: April 11th, 2006 01:00 AM

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged up to $1 million for a matching donation plan aimed at raising an additional $3 million to $4 million for food banks, shelters and health care access programs, United Way of Pierce County announced Monday.

The $1 million pledge is for the Community Challenge Match, a program that kicked off in February with pledges totaling $750,000 from the Russell Investment Group, Craig and Niki Ueland, and George and Dion Russell.

The company and the two families are working on pledging another $250,000, which would bring their total pledge to $1 million, said Rick Allen, president of the United Way of Pierce County.

Add that hoped-for pledge to the one by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Allen said, and you could have a $2 million challenge to the community to match it and raise a total of $4 million. Allen said his organization will work with people and businesses in Pierce County to raise enough money to meet that goal.

“The money we don’t match goes back to those sources,” he said. “The challenge is to step up and make sure we have enough new money coming into the campaign.”

Whatever money is raised will be pumped into the Community Solutions Fund, a volunteer-controlled United Way of Pierce County fund that pays for food banks, shelters and health care access programs. In 2005, the fund contributed about $4 million to the organization’s total haul of $12.2 million.

Craig Ueland, chief executive officer of the Russell Investment Group and fundraising chairman for United Way of Pierce County, said the success of this year’s campaign “will directly benefit more than 100 worthwhile programs in Pierce County, helping thousands and thousands of our neighbors.”

MORE ON THE 2006 COMMUNITY CHALLENGE MATCH

Hear more about the Community Challenge Match from 2006 Campaign Chair and Russell Investment Group CEO Craig Ueland

Gates foundation adds heft to community campaign
(The News Tribune, April 21st, 2006)

INSIDE THE DEAL - Meeting a Challenge
( Puget Sound Business Journal, Published: April 14, 2006)

Bill & Melinda gates Foundation Adds $1 Million to United Way's Community Challenge Match - April 10, 2006

Donors boost United Way
Russell Investment CEO pledges $250,000 on the way to a $3 million goal
(The News Tribune, March 1, 2006)

Frequently Asked Questions - Community Challenge Match