We wouldn’t ask you to do anything we wouldn’t do ourselves—and that includes giving to/through United Way.

So as we gear up for our main campaign “season,” our staff has again set the tone and pace by conducting its own best-practices workplace campaign.

I’m so proud of them and their generosity, I just had to share the results with you. Keep in mind that these people are employees of a community-based nonprofit.

All 25 employees made contributions—either payroll deduction pledges or one-time gifts. Nine of them gave at the leadership level ($1,000 or more).
In all, we raised $21,775 in gifts and pledges and an additional $403 from our silent auction and other activities. Everyone gave willingly. Coercion has no place in philanthropy.

Just as we suggest that our employer partners do, we also use our week-long campaign as a morale and team-building program. In other words, we have a good time while doing good.

One day we had a fun but inexpensive group event offsite (bowled for an hour and then had a sandwich at a nearby hof brau).

We also had a potluck for which virtually everyone made a dish. And we barbecued hot dogs and invited the neighbors over to celebrate with us as we wrapped up the activities.

Along the way, we performed a day of service, working with Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center’s edition of our Fit Kids Program at Martin Luther King, Jr. School.

Our Employee Activity Committee did a great job putting the entire program together. It was a best-practices effort all the way.