United Way of Greater St. Louis hosted its kickoff campaign last week at the Scotttrade Center to announce its goal of raising $68 million in the St. Louis area this year.
“It is my honor to announce United Way’s goal of raising $68 million to help people in our region,” said Jim Weddle, 2010 United Way campaign chair and managing partner at Edward Jones.
“Your support means so much to the people who are helped every day.”
Last year, more than 200,000 donors and 2,5000 businesses donated locally to United Way.
Through United Way of Greater St. Louis and over 200 local partnering agencies, one in three people in the region – more than one million people – are helped annually.
With this campaign, United Way will be able to invest more than $1 million each week within the community to help people through the local agencies it funds.
“Let’s make this year’s campaign a success so that we can continue to help people in our region,” Weddle said.
With nonprofit organizations such as the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center and Big Brother and Big Sister of Eastern Missouri, United Way partners with volunteers who invest their time in the programs.
United Way collaborates with numerous organizations locally for education, community services and health, like working with the East St. Louis public school district to develop a faith-based partnership to strengthen mental health support services to students.
It works with Ameren and Laclede Gas to fund programs that help Missouri families stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. United Way, Ameren and Laclede Gas share administrative costs of their respective programs, so every dollar donated goes to people in need.
With a growing coalition of over 70 community organizations, United Way has formed a Healthy Youth Partnership designed to combat youth obesity in the St. Louis area by offering healthy activities, tips, resources, research and policy changes.
The money raised for the United Way of Greater St. Louis campaign will stay in the 16 Missouri and Illinois counties served by member agencies.
United Way annually offers one-time community enhancement grants to member and non-member agencies to serve smaller communities in different service areas funding new and emerging issues and building community relations.
So far, over $15 million has been raised for the 2010 campaign, including more than $76,000 in the online auction held August 20-September 9. The campaign will end in November.
To donate or for more information, call 314-421-0700 or go to www.stl.unitedway.org.