"Are we going to make the goal?"
That was the million dollar question everyone connected with United Way has been asking for the last month and a half. This week, the answer came in as a resounding "YES!"
Donations to the annual United Way of Logan County campaign have surpassed the $1 million mark for the second year in a row, as the pledges pushing the countywide fundraiser over the top were reported this week.
"Unbelievable!" said United Way Campaign Chair Alison Marker. "We seemed to be holding steady right around the $980,000 mark as of the last week of December, so I didn’t think we were going to hit our goal. And then we had some big surprises come in that pushed us over. Logan County, you made this happen!"United Way officials are calling it a "December to remember," as generous year-end donations and special fundraisers including a new Online Auction helped rally the cause.
"Unlike recent years, we were playing from behind all campaign," said Dave Bezusko, United Way's Executive Director. "Midway through the fall, projections indicated we would likely come up as much as $50,000 short. But so many of our mid-sized workplaces saw incredible and unexepected increases."
Bezusko says 20 workplaces exceeded the $10,000 mark this year, showing the growing diversity and support in workplaces throughout the county. Individual giving not related to workplace giving exceeded $52,000, the highest total ever. The Online Auction, held in December and built with in-kind product and service donations from local businesses, cleared $35,000.
"Every number helps," said Marker. "We received large contributions from several local companies, but it was also the smaller contributions, the individual donors, and the money that was raised from the online auction that got us to our goal.
"We had an amazing campaign committee, who spent time connecting with organizations, presenting at campaign kickoff meetings, mailing letters, answering phones for the Radiothon on WPKO, etc. And then the Champions within each individual company who organized their workplace campaigns – they were phenomenal! They leaned into the challenge, were well-organized, and inspirational – and it showed in their campaign results."
Campaign totals have now increased eight straight years from 2012 to 2019.
United Way fights for the education, health, and financial stability of every person in Logan County. 52 programs of 31 Funded Agencies will be supported in 2020 by United Way allocations from this year’s campaign. Additional one-time grants will be awarded throughout the year organizations through the Community Impact and Youth Allocations funds.
91 cents of every dollar given goes directly to programming with nine percent going to fundraising and administrative costs, well above the Better Business Bureau standard of a 65-35 split. United Way is an accredited charity of the BBB, meeting all 20 Standards of Charitable Accountability established by the watchdog group.
Logan County remains the smallest community in Ohio to achieve a $1 million United Way campaign, and it's now happened two years in a row.
"It’s really amazing to me that a community our size can come together and raise $1 million in just a few months. It shows me that people really care about everyone in our community and want their friends, neighbors, family members - even those they don’t know at all – to get the support they need to live healthy and happy lives."
Final campaign numbers, corporate recognition, and the coveted Traveling Trophies will all be awarded at the LIVE UNITED Awards Luncheon, set for Thursday January 30 at Green Hills Community. All are invited. There is a $10 charge to cover the cost of the meal.