June 20, 2013 – In 12 hours, Cal Expo was filled with nearly 120,000 rolls of toilet paper donated by local residents and companies for United Way’s 5th Annual LIVE UNITED Toilet Paper Drive on June 13. Sac-Val Janitorial Supply is donating one roll for every three collected, and Charmin is mailing a donation of 70,000 rolls, resulting in a total of 229,485 rolls of toilet paper. The drive far surpassed its goal of 190,000 rolls in celebration of United Way’s 90th anniversary. Last year’s drive raised 177,451 rolls.

“We’ve now collected more than 500,000 rolls of toilet paper for nonprofits across five counties since this drive began five years ago,” said Steve Heath, president and CEO, United Way California Capital Region. “With the average roll of toilet paper costing approximately a dollar, this drive has saved nonprofits in our community half a million dollars in five years. We are grateful to the community and Sac-Val Janitorial Supply for recognizing how a humble product like toilet paper can change the course of people’s lives.”

Companies and local residents dropped off toilet paper at Cal Expo from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on June 13 or donated online. The rolls were distributed June 20 to many of United Way’s 148 certified nonprofit partners in Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties that otherwise would spend thousands of dollars on toilet paper this year.

Many local companies held miniature toilet paper drives to contribute to United Way’s drive. Besides Charmin and Sac-Val Janitorial Supply, Enterprise Rent-A-Car was the top Toilet Paper Drive donor at 23,700 rolls. Other top donors included Intel Corporation at 18,174 rolls; CSAC Excess Insurance Authority at 14,080 rolls; Allied/Nationwide at 8,200 rolls; The Golden 1 Credit Union at 6,312 rolls; Scott Brand at 4,800 rolls, Simplex Grinnell at 4,686 rolls, Bank of America at 4,180 rolls; and International Association of Machinists Local 1946 at 2,314 rolls.

Partners in United Way’s Toilet Paper Drive include FOX40, Sac-Val Janitorial Supply, Clear Channel Media & Entertainment, Clear Channel Outdoor, The Sacramento Bee, California Emergency Foodlink, Cal Expo, AT&T, The Golden 1 Credit Union, River City Printers, Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 447, Association of Plumbing Mechanical Contractors and Mechanical Contractors Association. For more information, visit www.yourlocalunitedway.org/tp-drive .

For 90 years, United Way California Capital Region has actively worked to address the community’s most pressing issues, now focusing on innovative solutions related to high school graduation rates, household financial stability and obesity. United Way’s team of nonprofits, businesses, donors and volunteers are working together to provide positive, measurable results on these issues through United Way projects: STAR Readers, $en$e-Ability and Fit Kids. Community members can give, volunteer and advocate in support of the causes they care most about, benefiting United Way and hundreds of nonprofits in Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties. United Way is an independent, local affiliate of United Way Worldwide. For more information, visit www.yourlocalunitedway.org.