Power of You: Celebrating our Annual United Way Campaign

​For more than a decade, our associates have come together to give back to our communities during our annual United Way Campaign, raising money for local United Way chapters. Through on- and off-site volunteering, challenges and more, we’ve given back to our communities and learned more about the great work of the United Way. This year, we raised more than $85,000 through annual pledging and office events.

Associates volunteered in many markets, including in:

• Chicago, where associates assembled 40 move-in cleaning supply buckets for La Casa Norte;
• Denver, where 20 school supply kits for Clayton Learning Center were assembled in record time by all office associates;
• Kansas City, where associates enjoyed volunteering during the kids’ study and recreational time at the Boys & Girls Club so much that they ran over their scheduled time;
• Minneapolis, where associates donated 125 pounds of food to ICA Foodshelf and assembled 150 coloring books for Northside Child Development Center, 200 kitchen kits for individuals transitioning from homelessness for Project for Pride in Living, Inc., and 200 personal care kits for homeless youth for YouthLink; and
• St. Louis, where associates got their hands dirty at the Fresh Starts Community Garden.

This year, our Power of You theme was based on a great quote by Mother Theresa:

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.

Other associates also valued the experience, saying:

By supporting the United Way both financially and through volunteer service, together we help create pathways out of poverty and build stronger communities.

Kristin Ridley
Senior Advisor
Opus Foundation®

 

While I give to individual organizations during the year, giving to the United Way adds an element of community to charitable giving: teamwork with associates, hands-on volunteering for local charities, common goals to aim for. The campaign reminds me that whether we are giving help or receiving it, we are all in this together.

Nancy Crain
Sr. Coordinator, IT
Opus Holding, L.L.C.