The United Way of Central Missouri surpassed its fundraising goal with a projected total of $1,809,227, announced Thursday during its Victory Celebration. Some businesses have ongoing or upcoming fundraisers that have been considered in that amount.
Partner agencies, campaign fundraising leaders and other supporters gathered inside the Missouri Farm Bureau to hear campaign co-chairs Barb Prasad and Matt Tollerton announce the total, with help from children attending the Jefferson City Day Care Center and residents of the Osage County Community Living Center - both partner agencies. Dressed in "Live United" T-shirts, the children and residents walked hand in hand and carried torches that adorned the totals of seven fundraising divisions.
They first displayed the largest amount of the divisions - $870,237 from the Pacesetter campaign, which kicked off the entire fundraiser in late July and ended about a month later. United Way partner agencies and 31 local businesses led that effort. The community campaign, which attempts to reach all businesses and employees, started in September.
Other division totals were:
• Professionals, such as area accountants and lawyers: $53,402
• Special givers, such as retirees and individuals who don't give through workplaces: $58,750
• Small businesses: $70,373
• Public service, such as the public schools, hospitals, city and county governments and associations: $105,591
• Missouri State Employee Charitable Campaign: projected $128,000
• Large and major firms: $522,874
In 2014, the United Way set a fundraising goal of $1.75 million, which it beat by nearly $60,000. With that success, the organization decided to take on two new partner agencies - Capital City Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the Central Missouri Foster Care and Adoption Association - and upped its goal again for 2015.
"It was ambitious, and I will tell you we were nervous about it, but we knew it was time to take on these two new agencies. They've grown and were offering services that we wanted to be a part of and lend a hand," Ann Bax, United Way of Central Missouri president, told the News Tribune. "Their partnership with us, and our partnership with them, we thought was very important. As far as our financial commitment, we were at that $1.8 million, so we knew we had to set the goal there. I was nervous - we were all nervous - but we knew it was the right thing. So that empowers you to go out and make it happen. We made it happen by all those incredible people who were here today. It is truly a communitywide effort - that's what makes it so rewarding."
Traditional and new strategies, Bax said, pushed the campaign forward. The campaign and marketing team continued to thrive this year, she added, and two new events that tied in the reality-TV theme - Mid-Missouri's Got Talent and Rock, Paper, Scissors Survivors Challenge - not only raised money but also awareness about the United Way. Individual businesses hosted their own Rock, Paper, Scissors tournaments, which Bax said added another element to the fundraising campaign.
"We know that when businesses have their own fun component, that makes the campaign more relevant and meaningful," she said.
Barb Prasad, Jefferson City Medical Group Laser and Vein Center clinic coordinator and campaign co-chair, gave her sign-off at the Victory Celebration. After two years as chair, she will step down as her term is up. Charity, she said, has always been a component of her life. When she was a young girl, she said her father placed money in envelopes for the rent and bills.
"There was always an envelope for charity," Prasad said. "And no matter how much money we had, which a lot of times there wasn't much, he would put something in there. So, that was my example of selfless giving. Fast forward 20 years when I moved to Jefferson City from a large city, this community is so generous. I have been amazed. ... I have always been inspired by the generosity in this community."
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