United Way passes halfway point to $1.3 million goal

United Way of Cascade County’s annual fundraising campaign passed the halfway point of its $1.3 million goal thanks to 34 area employers.

United Way announced Tuesday that its strongest business supporters known as Pacesetters raised $736,392 since the campaign kicked off Sept. 4.

“The Pacesetters get our campaign off to an amazing start,” United Way of Cascade County President Gary Owen said. “It’s exciting that these 34 businesses and their employees stepped up to raise so much for our community, and hopefully it inspires the rest of our community to follow their lead and help us reach our goal of $1.3 million. Their increasing donations ensure continued progress in our efforts to build our community by investing in education, income and health. The gains we have made as a community through efforts such as Graduation Matters are only possible if we work together to make it happen.”

United Way’s team of fundraising volunteers looked at the unmet needs of the 26 Great Falls nonprofit programs that are receiving funding this year and set the ambitious goal of topping last year’s record-setting fundraising total by $100,000. The Pacesetter campaign raised $26,821 more than last year.

Davidson has historically been United Way’s largest campaign and this year broke another record, giving $102,829.

General Mills’ 43 employees give more per capita than any other business. The company matches employee contributions dollar for dollar, but without the company contribution, the average employee gift tops $700. General Mills offers employees an extra day off and raffles off prizes, including a parking spot. They also reach out to retired employees whose donations also are doubled.

Scheels Sports has seen one of the biggest jumps in employee and corporate contributions. Since 2010, its campaign has grown from $11,460 to $75,000. Great Falls College Montana State University tripled its campaign in three years, giving $14,000 this year.

“The Pacesetters are the glue that holds the United Way campaign together,” said Lynda Morin, United Way Campaign chair. “These generous businesses have helped us reach 57 percent of our $1.3 million goal — largely due to the gifts of individual employees through payroll deduction.”

The pacesetters include: Anderson Zurmuehlen, Asurion, Benefis Health System, Bison Ford, Cascade County, Centene Corporation, City Motor Co., city of Great Falls, Columbia Grain, CTA Architects & Engineers, Davidson Cos., Embark Federal Credit Union, Energy West, FedEx, First Interstate Bank, General Mills, Great Falls College Montana State University, Great Falls Tribune, Herberger’s, Hoven Equipment, Hub International, J.C. Penney, Montana Federal Credit Union, NorthWestern Energy, Pacific Steel and Recycling, Peak Health and Wellness, Scheels Sports, Shopko, Stockman Bank, Target, UPS, US Bank, Wal-Mart and Wells Fargo.

The United Way campaign now turns to the general public. Roughly 200 businesses and 4,000 individuals joined in the United Way campaign last year — that amounts to 10 percent of the total businesses and 6.4 percent of Cascade County adults. Despite the early success of the Pacesetters, Owen said to reach the $1.3 million goal, United Way needs to reach new businesses and donors.

This year, 22,582 people are being helped this year through the grants to local nonprofits, according to United Way. The campaign ends in December and the final total will be announced in January.

Any local nonprofit can apply for United Way funds. A team of United Way volunteers decides funding by looking both at the community’s needs and the programs’ effectiveness.

Want to Give?

Many people give through an employee campaign, which runs through the end of the year. People also can send contributions directly to United Way at P.O. Box 1343, Great Falls, MT 59403; by dropping them off at the office at 417 Central Ave., Suite 402; or donating online via their secure website at www.uwccmt.org.

Raffle

This year, C.M. Russell basketball and scholastic standout and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Josh Huestis has donated signed memorabilia, including a jersey, an official ball, size 13 shoes and a draft day hat. The items are being raffled off Dec. 15. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling the United Way office at 727-3400.