United Way effort exceeds $5 million

Treasure Valley tops last campaign’s numbers in community fundraising, plans annual meeting for April 22

By Jon Meyer

BOISE — United Way of Treasure Valley’s annual community fundraising campaign raised $5.4 million this year, a 2 percent increase over the last effort.

The campaign began in September and involved more than 360 Treasure Valley organizations, 400 volunteers, 28 loaned executives — lead organizers from local companies — and the 37 members of the Board of Directors and United Way staff.

“I would like to extend my congratulations to all of you — the companies and organizations, employee campaign coordinators, loaned executives and others,” said Eldon Book, executive vice president and COO of Intermountain Gas and the 2007 campaign chair. “Without your hard work and energy, we could not have accomplished all that we did, including raising $5.4 million for our community.”

Sally Zive, president and CEO of United Way of Treasure Valley, said more than 15,000 individuals donated during the campaign, and all of the money pledged locally stays in the area through human services programs.

“Every dollar pledged to United Way will improve lives and bring lasting change right here in our own back yard, and our donors pay no administrative costs,” Zive said.

One of the advantage leaders of the local United Way tout is that 100 percent of a donor’s gift goes directly to services.

No matter how a donor chooses to give, no administrative costs are deducted from their donation. That’s because a group of loyal corporate partners underwrite United Way’s administrative costs, allowing donors to have a greater community impact with their dollars.

April 22 event

A sell-out crowd is expected at United Way of Treasure Valley’s Annual Meeting to be held from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. April 22 in the Grove Hotel Grand Ballroom, Boise.

The breakfast event will include keynote speaker and acclaimed author Heather McLeod Grant who just wrote “Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits,” named Book of the Year by The Economist. She will be in Boise April 21-22 and has a web site at http://www.forcesforgood.net.

The event will also include a presentation of 2008’s grant recipients through the Community Care Fund and a special announcement. To attend, visit United Way’s Web site at ww2.unitedwaytv.org to sign up and register, or call 336-1070. Prices are $30 per person and $400 per table.

“All of our grants and activities and services go to three priorities: families, youth and health,” said Tod McKay, vice president of communication for United Way of Treasure Valley. “And under those, the goals within each of the focus areas are: for youth, it’s helping youth achieve their potential, under family it’s helping them achieve financial stability ... health is improving people’s health.”

New during this year’s campaign is “Spirit of Caring” awards presented to the organizations and individuals who ran top United Way campaigns. Winners were selected in eight different categories including Campaign Coordinator of the Year and Best New Campaign.

United Way campaigns also provide funding for the Community Care Fund which last year awarded grants to 57 youth, family, and health programs here in the Treasure Valley. The 2008 grant recipients will be announced following United Way’s annual meeting on April 22.