Fundraiser adds new agencies

By Eric Rangus erangus@emory.edu

EmoryGives will usher in a new era in workplace giving across the University community this fall.

On Oct. 1, Emory University’s will add five new partners to its workplace giving program. The United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta will be joined by Community Health Charities of Georgia, Earth Share of Georgia, the Georgia Black United Fund, Georgia Shares and the Covington-Newton County United Fund. More than 390 nonprofit groups under the umbrella of these six federations are now part of Emory’s workplace giving program.

By widely expanding the donation options, the hope is that more money will be raised (this year’s goal of $415,000 is $25,000 higher than last year’s) as the destinations of those dollars increase.

This is the first of three installments in which Emory Report will briefly introduce each of the University’s six charitable partners. Today’s featured partners are Emory’s longtime collaborator, the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta and the Covington-Newton County United Fund, which is
an agency of the United Way that concentrates its work specifically in the Newton County area.

Covington-Newton County United Fund Inc. The United Fund, which is part of the national organization of the United Way, was founded in 1963 and given federal tax-exempt status in 1964. It is an association of 15 nonprofit organizations that tackle health and human-needs issues in the Newton County area, home of Oxford College.

United Fund raised more than $220,000 in 2000, and member agencies include the American Red Cross; the Mental Health Association of Newton County; Newton County Heart, Cancer and Emergency Relief; Newton County Senior Citizens; Newton County Special Olympics; Northwest Georgia Girl Scout Council, the Salvation Army and eight others.

While never an official part of the Emory workplace giving program, the United Fund has had a longtime relationship with Oxford College. Former Dean Bill Murdy sat on the United Fund’s board of directors for many years, and Oxford faculty and staff members have donated independently to the charity for years.

“We’ve never actually gone to campus and done fundraising,” said United Fund director Doris Strickland. “I’m hoping this will open some doors.”

In previous years, only a relatively small amount of Emory’s workplace giving donations have come from Oxford. With a hometown agency now an official part of the Emory program, the hope is that dollars will increase.

“We are delighted that for the first time Oxford College staff and faculty will have the opportunity to give through EmoryGives to organizations in Newton County,” said Oxford College Dean Dana Greene. “Hopefully this will increase giving here among our employees.”

United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta. The United Way’s federation of 215 nonprofit organizations generated more than $63 million in revenue throughout the 13-county metro area last year. It participates in more than 3,000 public and private workplace-giving programs.

The United Way’s network covers a wide array of programs and initiatives, including school systems, small neighborhood associations, nonprofit agencies and nonprofit programs of hospitals, churches and community partnerships.

The United Way has been Emory’s primary partner in charitable giving since the 1970s and helped design (along with the other charitable partners) the new EmoryGives program.

Last year, Emory employees contributed $382,468 to the United Way, and matching gifts pumped that total to $471,842.

“We hope people who have supported the United Way will continue to do that,” said Michelle Smith, director of corporate giving. “And we hope we will pick up even more donations from new people.”