Katie Aguilar (left) and Adam Brown are part of the team from the United Way partnering with ASU to hold a fundraising campaign. (Photo by Ryan Liu)ASU is partnering with United Way to put on an annual fundraising campaign for faculty and staff to support the organization's goals of helping children and youth succeed, ending hunger and homelessness and increasing financial stability within the community.
Adam Brown, a United Way executive who is being "loaned" to ASU, works individually with each ASU department’s unit representatives, and presents in front of ASU staff and faculty about the project.
"Personally, I'm really touched by Valley of the Sun United Way's community objective ensuring children and youth succeed," Brown said. "United Way helps not just with children and youth's physical needs but also with their educational needs. This strong foundation in their youth benefits them in high school and beyond.”
ASU faculty members are encouraged to participate through prize incentives, which are offered to those who donate before certain deadlines.
Prizes include box seats for ASU football games, signed footballs and basketballs, and the opportunity to participate as a sideline coach for an ASU football game.
Through the fundraiser, United Way is seeking to engage 100 percent of ASU staff and faculty in the fundraising campaign and to reach $700,000 by the end of the semester.
Louise Nemanich, clinical associate professor of strategic management at the W. P. Carey School of Business, has been donating to United Way annually since she was hired for her first job with Exxon in 1976.
This year's fundraiser was no exception for Nemanich's annual donations.
“That first employer, and all of my previous employers ... conveyed to all of the employees that those of us who have good jobs or good benefits have an obligation to share that wealth or good fortune with others in the community who might be less fortunate,” Nemanich said.
United Way also hosts staff and faculty events, such as pancake breakfasts and Halloween happy grams, to make people aware of its work.
The campaign began in September and will continue through early December, although United Way is working toward involving ASU in year-round engagements.
Student United Way, the student branch of United Way at ASU, is one example of a year-long engagement at ASU.
The community objective, which focuses on child and youth success, is supported through events such as hunger backpack assembly, school preparation kit assembly and student tutoring and mentoring services. United Way looks for both donations and volunteers to aid in these projects.
Katie Aguilar, United Way coordinator, works with Brown to identify campaign managers and unit representatives who will lead each ASU department or college.
"We're looking to improve our community by helping those in need, but what we're doing isn't a band-aid,” Aguilar said.
Project Connect, which is held several times throughout the year, uses resources provided by the government, nonprofit agencies, and ASU staff and faculty, to provide homeless people with services to satisfy their immediate and long-term needs.
To help people get back on their feet, Project Connect provides haircuts, clean clothes, driver’s licenses, identification cards, food, showers, housing and birth certificates, Aguilar said.
United Way's financial stability objective holds an event which provides income tax assistance and financial education resources for individuals and families.
"We give people hope,” Aguilar said.
Reach the reporter at ekamezak@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @emikamezaki
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