Inside Furman is published quarterly by the Furman University Department of Marketing and Public Relations. For story ideas, e-mail John Roberts, editor.
Raising the bar
In recent years Furman's United Way fund-raising program has become more organized and involved a greater number of employees.
The collective effort has paid off.
Last year faculty and staff contributed more than $80,000 to the United Way of Greenville County, up 72 percent from 2002, when the school contributed nearly $47,000.
And Chandra Dillard, the university's campaign coordinator, is raising the bar again this year. Our goal for 2005: $88,000.
“This is an ambitious goal,” says Dillard, Furman's Director of Community Relations. “But I know we can do it. We have added some new faculty and staff and we are counting on them and the rest of our university community to continue to support the United Way.”
Dillard met with a 22-member United Way internal cabinet late last month to announce the goal. The members, a diverse group of faculty, staff and students, are charged with spearheading campaign efforts in their areas.
Members of the internal cabinet may organize informal gatherings or giveaways, host United Way speakers or plan interdepartmental contests to encourage giving.
The theme for this year's campaign is “Because it happens here it, it matters here.” The Furman campaign kicked off October 3 and will conclude October 21. Dillard is encouraging all employees to return their pledge cards to Human Resources even if they choose not to make a gift.
“We have found that our employees would rather have a short and intense campaign,” says Dillard. “They don't want a prolonged campaign that takes an entire fall.”
Eighty-eight cents of every dollar donated to the United Way goes directly to 40 Greenville County health and human services agencies.
The following chart offers examples of what a monthly gift of each amount can provide:
• $12: Course materials to help four adults learn to read and write.
• $17: School supplies for an after-school mentoring program.
• $38: Ten therapy sessions for a child with physical disabilities.
• $77: Clothing and temporary assistance for a family that has lost its possessions in a house fire.
• $100: Eighty hours of in-home nursing assistance care for family caregivers of Alzheimer's patients.
Last year, the county-wide campaign raised $12.3 million during its annual fall campaign. The fundraising goal this year is $13 million.