United Way of Southwest Georgia exceeds its fundraising goal for 2014

ALBANY — Thanks to adjusted goals and increased participation, United Way of Southwest Georgia was able to exceed its collections goal for 2014.

It was announced at the organization’s annual meeting Monday that the United Way of Southwest Georgia brought in$1,038,103 in 2014, a $25,319 increase over the $1,012,783 the organization raised in 2013.

“This is the first time in a number of years that we not only met but exceeded our goal,” said United Way of Southwest Georgia CEO LaKisha Bryant Bruce.

Bruce said that by having a lowered, “more realistic” goal in 2015 of $1 million ($850,000 from the local campaign and $150,000 from the Combined Federal Campaign) versus the $1.2 million in 2012 and 2013, it made it easier to exceed expectations.

The overall goal was lowered, Bruce said, because this year the organization took into account factors such as a reduction in the CFC campaign because of a reduction in military spending and the loss of local industry.

Despite the reductions in goal on both sides of the overall equation, Bruce said she believed the reason the organization exceeded goal was through educating donors about the United Way’s Community Impact Model, which focusing funding and efforts on a specific problem in the areas of education, income and health to address that problem.

Organizations supported by the United Way of Southwest Georgia include Agilis, Albany Advocacy Resource Center (ARC), Boys and Girls Clubs of Albany, Communities in Schools, Crisp County DFACS Prescription Medicine Program, Dougherty County School System Extended Day Program, Easter Seals of Southern Georgia, Girls Inc. of Albany, Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Liberty House, Middle Flint Area Council on Aging, Open Arms, Prevent Child Abuse, Samaritan Clinic, SOWEGA Council on Aging, St. Paul’s Learning Center, Strive 2Thrive, The Gateway Center Inc., The Lily Pad, The Salvation Army and A Place 4 Hope, and the YMCA of Albany.

One award that was presented was the Community Campaign Partner Award, which was presented to an organization that not only receives support from the United Way, but also works with the organization to raise awareness and funds. This year the award was presented the Albany ARC.

The Campaign Rejuvenation Award which was given to both MillerCoors and Eaton’s Cooper Lighting, who both helped to rejuvenate interest in the United Way in Albany and Sumter County, respectively.

The organization also honored those corporate partners responsible for the top three largest donations to the local campaign during the year. In 2015, Publix Supermarkets donated $78,187, MillerCoors donated $120,792 and Procter and Gamble donated $298,985, earning the company the Community Ambassador Award.

The organization also took time Monday to recognize outgoing board chairman Eric Hooper of Moore, Clark, Duvall and Rodgers P.C. and incoming chairman Clifton Bush of Albany Area Primary Health Care.

And while no goals have been set yet for the 2015 campaign that launches in the fall, Bruce said that the organization has already started working on it, with some “pacesetter campaigns” getting under way.

To learn more about the United Way of Southwest Georgia and its programs or how to get involved with fundraising visit the organization’s website www.unitedwayswga.org or call (229) 883-6700.