By SUSAN JONES
The annual Pitt United Way campaign kicked off Oct. 6 with a collection drive in front of the William Pitt Union for cleaning and baby supplies. The goal this year is $750,000.
Adam Baron of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania told Faculty Assembly on Oct. 6 that, “we work with partners like University of Pittsburgh to make decisions on which agencies we’re supporting, which agencies are fiscally responsible; those that are creative and innovative and have ideas about what can we do to really get people out of crisis and assist them.”
He said there’s already been “tremendous support” in the first week of the campaign.
“But our partnership with the University goes well beyond just people contributing,” Baron said. “There are many tentacles throughout the University. … We’re connecting with different departments to ask for your expertise, your advice, to collaborate with your leadership and with individuals at the University.”
Since the pandemic, Baron said United Way has really “hyper-focused” its attention on three areas:
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Meeting basic needs for food, shelter, transportation, vaccinations, utilities and more.
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Helping individuals that are in crisis move toward financial stability, including helping them with payments, car repairs and other one-time assistance that’s going to get them back to and maintain that stability.
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Building toward success in school and life by making sure children in preschool through high school have the right resources they need to stay on track, particularly during the pandemic.
Pitt campaign kickoff
Campaign chair Mark Henderson, Pitt’s chief information officer, and Bobbi Watt Geer, CEO of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, will host a virtual kickoff from 11 a.m. to noon Oct. 13.
A virtual info session about the Women’s Leadership Council and Bridges Society for Young Professionals will be hosted by Betsy Farmer, Women’s Leadership Council chair and dean of the School of Social Work, and Molly Allwein of the Bridges Society from 2 to 3 p.m. Oct. 20.
Go online to register for either of these events.
If you made a payroll deduction pledge during the 2020-21 United Way campaign, it will automatically roll over (same amount and designation) for the 2021-22 United Way campaign unless you log into my.pitt and make changes.
The 2020-21 campaign received pledges from members of the University community of $694,560 toward the goal of $750,000.
University-wide raffle
All faculty and staff who make a pledge or donation prior to Oct. 25 will be eligible to win a prize in a drawing on Oct. 27.
Faculty and staff whose payroll deduction pledges will rollover will need to log into my.pitt.edu and confirm their donation to be eligible for the drawing.
Volunteering
Find more information on volunteering on the Pitt United Way website. Staff and faculty can record up to eight hours per week on their timecard for volunteer service, with supervisor approval.
Contact Kelly Gilliam, manager, Pitt United Way Campaign, at keg93@pitt.edu with questions.
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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