United Way Announces Giving Campaign Total

United Way of the Columbia-Willamette today announces that its 2009-2010 Community Giving Campaign has reached $20,103,670 which is a 2.2% increase over the previous year. This announcement comes one week after United Way released its Community Impact Results Report, highlighting the agency’s impact over the past five years.

During tough economic times, United Way credits its many individual, corporate, employee, retiree and foundation givers as helping to outpace last year’s Campaign total of $19.6 million. This is the fifth year in a row that United Way has increased the level of the giving campaigns and puts the organization among the top 10% of United Ways in the nation.

Intel Corporation’s record-setting campaign topped $6 million, significantly boosting the overall total for United Way with employee and retiree gifts as well as a one-to-one match from the Intel Foundation. Intel additionally contributed significant employee volunteer hours. This is the second year Intel has set a giving record with last year’s total at $5.6 million.

Of the almost 1,000 companies running an employee giving campaign this year, three stand out as this year’s awardees of the Campaign Chair’s Award for Excellence: Wells Fargo, Costco Wholesale, and Norm Thompson Outfitters. Of note in Clark County, the City of Vancouver is the awarded of the Best of County employee giving campaign award. At the Celebration of Caring event this Thursday evening, these and many other outstanding community partners will be honored with awards.

Wells Fargo’s employee giving and corporate gift totaled an outstanding $927,000 with employee giving increasing by almost $140,000 and volunteerism nearly doubling to 64,800 hours. Costco Wholesale’s campaign increased by an incredible 40% and contributed close to $400,000. Norm Thompson Outfitters’ campaign increased by 125% from $28,000 to $63,000 and employees also volunteered in a variety of community service projects.

Corporations and individuals that will be recognized at Celebration of Caring campaign announcement event include:

Best New Campaign: Deschutes Brewery

Labor Partner of the Year: IBEW Local 48

Campaign Coordinators of the Year: Dennis Catmull, Costco Wholesale and Danielle Sass, Benson Industries

Best of County:
Clackamas – Johnson Controls Battery Group
Clark – City of Vancouver
Multnomah – Benson Industries
Washington – Enterprise Holdings

Best of Trade:
Auto Dealers: Ron Tonkin Corporation
Banks/Finance: OnPoint Credit Union
Education: Beaverton School District
Health: Providence Health & Services
High Tech: TriQuint Semiconductor
Hospitality: Deschutes Brewery
Insurance: State Farm Insurance
Government: Clean Water Services
Manufacturing: PCC Structurals
Retail: Nordstrom
Professional: Stoel Rives
Media: The Columbian
Telecom: Comcast

Campaign Performance Awards:
Allstate Insurance Companies
Bi-Mart
Cascade Corporation
CH2M Hill
Deloitte
Enterprise Holdings
Harris Group
Intel
International Paper
OnPoint Credit Union
Oregon Business Council
Pacific Machinery & Tool Steel
Rodda Paint
Yost Grube Hall Architecture
Zones Inc

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Twitter: http://twitter.com/UnitedWayPDX
Online: http://www.unitedway-pdx.org/

United Way Investment Report Shows Regional Gains in Education, Income, Health

United Way of the Columbia Willamette released a report on the results of the organizations’ Community Impact model of funding from 2004 to 2009. The report details how United Way leveraged $22.5 million in contributions to secure another $18.8 million in foundation and government grants, bringing the total investment to $41.3 million for community impact programs in Multnomah, Clark, Washington and Clackamas counties.

It is the first comprehensive report of United Way of the Columbia-Willamette’s impact since the organization moved to a community investment model, focused specifically on education, income and health. During the reporting period, United Way was to help 100,000 people a year improve their lives.

We invite you to read the full Community Impact Fund Results report on our website http://www.unitedway-pdx.org/ and even tell us what you think on United Way of the Columbia-Willamette's social networking pages on Facebook or Twitter. Read more about the announcement by reading the press release about the Community Impact Fund Results report.