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United Way raises over 11 million dollars thanks to local donations

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Information provided by the United Way of the Capital Region:

Thanks to the generosity of our local community, United Way of the Capital Region (UWCR) has exceeded its campaign goal by raising $11,800,003, topping the amount raised last year by 4.6 percent, or $519,476, and this year’s goal by $500,003. This marks the 16th consecutive year the organization has exceeded its campaign goal.

“To surpass our goal during these challenging times is nothing short of extraordinary,” said 2012 Campaign Chairman Greg Gunn, managing partner, Gunn Mowery, LLC. “As these difficult times continue, more and more people need the safety net of programs and services supported by our United Way. We shared this message with the community throughout the campaign and people responded with extraordinary goodwill.”

“Going into the campaign, we knew our program partners were facing an increase in demand for their services,” said Joseph M. Capita, UWCR’s president and CEO. “In a survey of them we conducted last fall, more than 90 percent reported an increase in demand for their programs and services.”

“Through the same survey, we also learned UWCR has been the one constant and reliable source of support for many of our partner agencies. In a time when government and private resources are declining, our United Way has helped local non-profit organizations continue to serve those in need,” added Capita. “Over the last five years, UWCR has increased the distribution of designated and undesignated funds to our partner agencies by nearly $1.2 million, or 21 percent.”

For UWCR, the Corporate Cornerstones initiative once again proved to be a big success with donors. Beginning in 2009, 100 percent of the money UWCR raises and distributes from individual donors in the community through its Capital Region campaign is directed to programs and services. UWCR is able to do this thanks to a group of dedicated contributors who are helping to underwrite UWCR’s already very low administrative and fundraising cost of 13 percent.

“In a time when every penny counts, donors appreciate that 100 percent of their contribution goes directly to programs and services,” added Capita. “The Corporate Cornerstones initiative demonstrates that UWCR is a great charitable value.”

Twenty-four organizations are members of UWCR’s Pillar Society this year; their donations represent 59 percent of the entire campaign. The Pillar Society consists of organizations that contribute $100,000, or more in combined corporate and employee giving to United Way. Those organizations and their combined contributions to UWCR, recorded as of January 11, 2013 are:

Highmark Blue Shield $1,215,375
The Hershey Company$768,784
Rite Aid Corporation$600,867
PinnacleHealth System$394,974
Capital BlueCross$347,897
Penn National Insurance $325,437
State Employee Combined Appeal$316,631
Nationwide Mutual Insurance$277,562
TE Connectivity$268,762
UPS$232,898
Naval Support Activity – Mechanicsburg$216,079
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine $211,321
Three Mile Island Generating Station$210,858
McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC$192,714
U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks$168,907
Country Meadows Retirement Communities$165,180
Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company$147,565
Gannett Fleming Affiliates, Inc.$144,482
Hersha Group$144,132
Giant Food Stores and Ahold USA$138,153
Novitas Solutions, Inc.$130,770
Reynolds Construction Management, Inc.$106,171
Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc.$101,599
Defense Distribution Depot Susquehanna, PA$100,038

Sixteen organizations also increased their giving by $10,000 or more this year. Those organizations and the amount of increase are:

PinnacleHealth System$188,638
Novitas Solutions, Inc.$130,770
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine$52,814
McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC$38,556
Nationwide Mutual Insurance$38,103
TE Connectivity$31,779
U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks$26,284
James T. Hambay Foundation$25,000
Penn National Insurance$23,230
Rite Aid Corporation$22,245
Country Meadows Retirement Communities$15,092
The Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Foundation$15,000
Delta Dental of Pennsylvania$13,802
New World Pasta Company$12,160
PA American Water$11,909
Saul Ewing, LLP$11,564

“Leading the campaign this year has been an experience of a lifetime,” said Gunn. “For an organization to exceed its goal 16 years in a row speaks to the generosity of our community.”

At this evening’s reception, the winners of this year’s campaign raffle were selected. This year, donors who gave $156, or more to United Way’s campaign were eligible to win one of five prizes: a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic, donated by Sutliff Chevrolet; a vacation package of $3,500 courtesy of AAA Central Penn and Fulton Bank; a home office package which included a work station and task chair from The Phillips Group, a $1,000 gift card from Wolf Furniture, and a Notebook PC, courtesy of an anonymous donor; a home improvement package which included a $1,000 gift card from Wolf Furniture, a 50” flat screen plasma television, courtesy of Gunn Mowery, LLC, a $500 gift card from Metro Bank, and a $500 gift card from Rite Aid Corporation; and $1,500 in groceries donated by Giant Foods.

In February, more than 190 community volunteers will help UWCR decide how to best distribute the money it raises. These volunteers will tour agencies, hear presentations, review financial information, evaluate results and make funding recommendations to the United Way Board of Directors.






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