Thursday, July 29, 2004
A minimum gift of $104 a year makes donors eligible to win a 2005 Cobalt.
BOARDMAN -- The financial goal of the 2004 Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way Pacesetter Campaign, which got under way this morning, is $900,000 -- 10 percent more than the 2003 goal.
With the results from the Pacesetter companies and early advance gifts, United Way hopes to have $1 million, or 31 percent, of the total campaign goal of $3.2 million raised by the general campaign kickoff Sept. 14, said Frank Hierro, co-chairman of the 2004 Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way Campaign and Sky Bank regional president.
Committee efforts
Speaking at today's Pacesetter kickoff breakfast at the Holiday Inn here, Hierro said the Pacesetter Division consists of 39 local businesses and all 31 United Way agencies who agree to run an early campaign to set the pace for the general campaign.
Pacesetter Committee members are: Chairman Rick Stevens, Charter One Bank; Julianna Bellino, Amy D'Errico, Rebecca Greenwood and Sharon Foley, all of Charter One Bank; Mark Samuel, Neighborhood Ministries; and Jonathan Siegel, the Jewish Community Center.
Don Cagigas, United Way president and chief professional officer, said, "The strength of United Way starts with our volunteers. People from our community join together to review community needs, establish priorities and raise and invest funds, focusing primarily on key impact areas and the achievement of measurable results."
The five impact areas, made up of some 90 programs of 31 affiliated agencies, are: Nurturing Our Children, Enriching the Lives of our Seniors, Promoting Health and Wellness, Caring for People in Crisis and Achieving our Potential.
Incentives
United Way also announced special incentives for the upcoming campaign. Any donor who gives a minimum of $2 per week, or a total annual gift of $104, is eligible to win a 2005 Chevy Cobalt, donated by Greenwood Chevrolet. Details of the drawing are available on the United Way Web site at www.ymvunitedway.org.
"We are extremely grateful for the generosity of Greenwood Chevrolet," said JoAnn Stock, director of campaign and marketing.
Also new to this year's campaign is the opportunity for donors to designate their gift to a specific area of need or nonprofit agency.
"Although the best way to help the most people and meet the widest range of community needs is through an undesignated gift to the Community Care Fund, the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way now offers the opportunity for additional donor choice," Stock said.
"Donors may choose to direct their gift to a specific impact area, or a portion of their gift may be directed to any 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides health and human services in the local area," she said.
Plans are under way for the general campaign, which begins with the community-wide Day of Caring, when more than 400 volunteers from businesses throughout the community will complete service projects at United Way agencies.