United Way exceeds campaign goal
In what was called an excellent sign for the region's future, the United Way of Greater Rochester exceeded its campaign goal for 2016.
The organization raised $25.1 million, surpassing its $25 million goal. The announcement came Thursday morning during a celebration at Paychex's Henrietta campus.
Martin Mucci, Paychex CEO and the United Way's 2016 campaign chair, cited three reasons for the strong showing:
- United Way organizers developed a very good fundraising campaign;
- The organization made an extra effort to solicit small to mid-sized companies;
- People donated because they know the United Way is active in the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative.
Mucci said the public viewed the United Way's work to fight poverty "as a renewed purpose and new leadership role." That perception put the 2016 campaign over the top, he said.
"I think what's so exciting in the Rochester community is there is so much great need, and the fact that community dug down deep, got creative, had fun and raised more money than ever is really, really exciting," Mucci said.
Donations to United Way's Community Fund help area families avoid child maltreatment, abuse and neglect, assist people in getting nutritious meals through a food pantry or a soup kitchen as well as ensure people get meals delivered to their homes.
About 70 percent of the campaign funds comes from employee workplace donations, often done through payroll deductions. An additional 10 percent comes from corporate contributions. The rest comes from donors who aren't tied to a specific workplace.
Thursday's announcement was noteworthy because it marked the first time in recent years that the United Way raised its fundraising amount goal instead of lowering it. The amount raised also reverses a steady decline in donations dating back several years.
In 2013, the organization raised $26.6 million. However, that number fell to $25.5 million in 2014 and $24.3 million in 2015.
In March, United Way announced it was raising its fundraising goal from $24 million in the 2015 campaign to $25 million based on optimism that the economy had strengthened and the community was ready to respond to issues such as poverty.
Jennifer Leonard, CEO of the Rochester Area Community Foundation, said United Way's announcement means "being neighborly is back in fashion." It shows that Rochesterians are willing to invest in each other and work together to solve community goals.
The success even bodes well for other foundations, Leonard said, because there's an opportunity for others to raise money for worthy causes.
"All boats can rise in a rising economy," Leonard said. "The entire nonprofit community can take heart in that."
The United Way passing its goal bodes well for local families and philanthropy, but it also speaks favorably about Rochester's economy.
Kent Gardner, chief economist at the Center for Governmental Research, said not too long ago, people were apprehensive about the local economy and feared for their job security. But with the United Way exceeding its goal, "it's a barometer of how people are feeling about the local economy," he said.
"You learn a lot from how people spend their money," Gardner said. "People aren't writing checks if they feel like they can't afford it. People pull back when they're nervous."
Gardner also noted that the United Way was successful, in part, because of the organization's leadership with anti-poverty plans. People like the United Way's push there and want to help, Gardner said.
"It's an indication that the community is buying into this anti-poverty initiative," he said.