U of A United Way Campaign is Halfway to the Goal, But Time is Running Out

Photo by Charlie Alison

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There are more than 26,000 reasons to give to Community Strong – Child by Child, this year’s U of A United Way campaign. That’s an estimate of how many children are living in poverty in Northwest Arkansas. The number of children you are helping with your contribution.

But everybody loves a Top Ten List, so the campus committee has come up with:

The Top Ten Other Reasons to Give to United Way 

10. No donation is too small.  Seriously, that’s the great thing about the United Way. Together our small donations can have a huge impact.

          9. Fully 99 percent of your donation stays in Northwest Arkansas.

  8.  At least 86 percent of your donation goes to the 57 agencies and 67 programs supported by the United Way of Northwest Arkansas. That makes United Way one of the most cost-effective charitable organizations in the country.

7.  Those gift cards. When you turn in your pledge card you are eligible for the weekly drawings for $100 Walmart gift cards. This week’s winners are:

·        Sheri Lynn Tuck, School of Architecture

·        Hanan Southard, Agriculture Education Communication and Technology

·        Scott Tomlinson, Facilities Management

·       Colton Shackelford, Facilities Management

·        Crysten Beard, Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center  

6. It’s a great way to help make our Community Strong – Child by Child. Even in a prosperous area like Northwest Arkansas, poverty is a reality for too many children. Creating a pathway out of poverty enables them to make their own contributions to our community.

5.  You can choose to donate to a single agency. If you make a donation of $50 or more you can designate it to go to your favorite agency – or program.

4.   You can donate online. It’s easy, it’s secure, just go to go to http://unitedway.uark.edu/ and click on the “Donate Now” button. No credit card information is needed.

3.   You don’t have to donate online. A while back the campaign tried to go all electronic. The U of A community let us know they liked the pledge cards. So you’ve got them – with an added bonus (see reason number 7.)

2.   You can donate through payroll deduction. But if you did that last year please remember – you need to renew it again this year – online, or with your pledge card.

And the Number 1 Reason to Give to Community Strong – Child by Child:

It’s just a good thing to do.

So far 580 faculty and staff members have donated $85,114.29, which is 53 percent of the campaign goal. The total participation rate is 16 percent.

The U of A United Way campaign ends Saturday, Oct. 31.