United Way Campaign in Full Swing
By Brother Rogers
The United Way fund raising campaign is in full swing. BancorpSouth executive Grady Mitchener, the campaign chairman, and his team have set a bold goal for Starkville and the surrounding area. For the first time ever, the fund raising goal is $300,000.
That amount sounds like a lot, and it is. But the United Way in Alcorn County, based in Corinth, plans to raise $400,000, and they don’t even have a major university as an employer. Tupelo’s United Way has a goal of $1.65 million, and has raised a third of that already. Therefore, our local goal, while the highest ever at $300,000, is certainly attainable.
One reason for optimism is the strong relationship between United Way and Mississippi State University. Thanks to leadership by President Charles Lee and his predecessors over the past 25 years, the employees at MSU support United Way wholeheartedly. Each year, faculty, staff and students at MSU combine to donate approximately $100,000 to United Way.
At this year’s campaign kickoff breakfast, held at the prestigious M-Club on campus, Dr. Lee acknowledged the connection between a vibrant community and a thriving university. “To attract students and faculty to Mississippi State University,” he said, “we need a strong, healthy community. Supporting United Way is one way we can help strengthen our community.”
A mark of a good community is how well it takes care of the needs of its most vulnerable, whether they be children, the poor, the elderly, the abused or the infirm. United Way’s 23 agencies meet a broad range of needs in all these categories. Without the work of these agencies, our area would be a much less inviting place to live.
United Way isn’t the only means of support for its 23 agencies, but it is vital to their survival and effectiveness. And United Way supporters can take heart in the knowledge that their dollars go to help local people who are in need.
Thanks to numerous volunteers and the simplicity of payroll deduction, your local United Way keeps administrative expenses low – about 22 percent. This figure compares favorably with the suggested Better Business Bureau (BBB) guidelines of up to 35 percent. Your local United Way maintains an organizational commitment to accountability and places a priority on openness and ethical behavior.
A survey commissioned by the BBB and conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates found that people want to hold charities to strict standards for their use of funds. According to the survey, Americans expect “at least 70 to 80 percent of a charity’s total expenditures should be used to support charitable programs rather than pay for administrative expenses.” Your local United Way gives 78 percent of its funds to local agencies – well within the 70 to 80 percent range.
Economic times are still difficult, but a caring community spirit is alive and well. The key to reaching our historical goal is participation – each person doing his or her part. To make our community better by giving to United Way, please call 323-3830. You can make a difference!
Brother Rogers is president of the United Way of North Central Mississippi and a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News.
The United Way fund raising campaign is in full swing. BancorpSouth executive Grady Mitchener, the campaign chairman, and his team have set a bold goal for Starkville and the surrounding area. For the first time ever, the fund raising goal is $300,000.
That amount sounds like a lot, and it is. But the United Way in Alcorn County, based in Corinth, plans to raise $400,000, and they don’t even have a major university as an employer. Tupelo’s United Way has a goal of $1.65 million, and has raised a third of that already. Therefore, our local goal, while the highest ever at $300,000, is certainly attainable.
One reason for optimism is the strong relationship between United Way and Mississippi State University. Thanks to leadership by President Charles Lee and his predecessors over the past 25 years, the employees at MSU support United Way wholeheartedly. Each year, faculty, staff and students at MSU combine to donate approximately $100,000 to United Way.
At this year’s campaign kickoff breakfast, held at the prestigious M-Club on campus, Dr. Lee acknowledged the connection between a vibrant community and a thriving university. “To attract students and faculty to Mississippi State University,” he said, “we need a strong, healthy community. Supporting United Way is one way we can help strengthen our community.”
A mark of a good community is how well it takes care of the needs of its most vulnerable, whether they be children, the poor, the elderly, the abused or the infirm. United Way’s 23 agencies meet a broad range of needs in all these categories. Without the work of these agencies, our area would be a much less inviting place to live.
United Way isn’t the only means of support for its 23 agencies, but it is vital to their survival and effectiveness. And United Way supporters can take heart in the knowledge that their dollars go to help local people who are in need.
Thanks to numerous volunteers and the simplicity of payroll deduction, your local United Way keeps administrative expenses low – about 22 percent. This figure compares favorably with the suggested Better Business Bureau (BBB) guidelines of up to 35 percent. Your local United Way maintains an organizational commitment to accountability and places a priority on openness and ethical behavior.
A survey commissioned by the BBB and conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates found that people want to hold charities to strict standards for their use of funds. According to the survey, Americans expect “at least 70 to 80 percent of a charity’s total expenditures should be used to support charitable programs rather than pay for administrative expenses.” Your local United Way gives 78 percent of its funds to local agencies – well within the 70 to 80 percent range.
Economic times are still difficult, but a caring community spirit is alive and well. The key to reaching our historical goal is participation – each person doing his or her part. To make our community better by giving to United Way, please call 323-3830. You can make a difference!
Brother Rogers is president of the United Way of North Central Mississippi and a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News.
