United Way of Allen County hopes to raise $5.4 million in its 2012 fund-raising campaign, a 6-percent increase over the $5.1 million the nonprofit agency raised last year.
United Way officials were expected to announce the new goal Thursday during a Community Campaign kick-off event at Sweetwater Sound. About 300 area businesses will run workplace campaigns, collecting donations from roughly 1,200 people from September through early 2013, the agency said in a written statement.
“We really do live in an exemplary community where people step up when asked,” said Jeff Miller, a Raytheon executive and United Way's campaign chair, in the statement. “We're off to a great start with both new and increased gifts and we want to keep that momentum going.”
Miller said new campaigns at businesses such as Vera Bradley and Medical Protective – along with “pacesetter” campaigns such as those at Swiss Re and UPS – would help United Way meet the higher goal.
According to the statement, United Way hopes to increase giving through the new workplace campaigns, increased giving among existing campaigns and a matching grant through the Indiana Association of United Ways.
The United Way grant provides a dollar-for-dollar match of new gifts of at least $100 and existing gifts that increase to at least $500. For existing gifts that increase to a level between $100 and $500, the grant provides a match of 50 cents to the dollar.
Todd Stephenson, president and CEO of United Way of Allen County, said the agency was constantly expanding its focus areas to meet new community needs, such as early childhood learning.
“Just as the needs and opportunities in our community grow and evolve, so do we,” Stephenson said in the statement.
The United Way of Allen County is an umbrella agency that supports 34 partner nonprofits ranging from early childhood learning, youth programs and services for families, people with disabilities, seniors and the poor.
