YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The United Way of Youngstown/Mahoning Valley raised $2.4 million during its 2011 annual campaign to fund education, income and health programs in the Mahoning Valley, Bob Hannon, its chief development officer, announced Monday.
“We’re ecstatic people in this community gave back that kind of money to help their neighbors, friends and family,” Hannon said.
The campaign, which raised $2.5 million in 2010, set a goal of $2.6 million for 2011.
“Considering the tough economy, some job loss and what’s going on out there, we think the community’s really stepped up in giving back,” Hannon said. “We’re at 97% of our goal and, hopefully, next year we’ll continue to have lofty goals. Trying to raise $2.5 million is a reach, but we’re going to continue because we see the need now being greater than ever.”
The United Way provides funding for 70 programs in the Mahoning Valley’ among them are Catholic Charities, the YMCA of Youngstown, Sojourner House in Youngstown, and Help Hotline. Funds also go to Success By 6, a summer school program to prepare children to kindergarten. More than children ages 4 and 5 participated last summer.
The United Way’s focuses on helping nonprofits provide education and health-related services so the applying program or organization must be aligned with those goals, Hannon said.
Money from the United Way also goes toward helping low-income residents obtain food, clothing, shelter and other essentials.
As incentives to induce more Valley residents to contribute, Sweeney Chevrolet of Boardman provided a two-year lease on a Chevrolet Cruze to the winner of drawing, Semach’s Northside Television in Struthers donated a 42-inch plasma high-definition television, and Traveline Travel Services in Cleveland donated two AirTran airline tickets for a free trip anywhere in the United States.
Only employees of Youngstown State University who donated $104 or more were eligible to enter the two-year lease from Sweeney and only General Motors employees from the Lordstown complex who donated $104 or more were eligible to enter for the HDTV. Everyone who donated $104 or more was eligible to win the airline tickets.
Alonzo Paul won the HDTV. Mary Hake, an administrative assistant in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at YSU, won the two-year Cruze lease. Andre Coleman, an assistant coach on the YSU football team won the airline tickets.
“Mr. Sweeney came forward and said he’d like to do something extra as a motivation, as an incentive for the participants in the United Way to provide an opportunity to get a little bit more,” said Cynthia Anderson, the president of Youngstown State.
The campaign announcement and incentive prize drawings took place at Youngstown State because Anderson chaired the campaign committee and tradition dictates that the announcement takes place at the chairman’s business or workplace.
Anderson expressed disappsointment that while Youngstown State was in the top 25 of donations, the university did not reach her goal of matching General Motors as the top contributor in the campaign.
General Motors made the largest donation with a combined effort from the company and its 4,000 employees.
Other top contributors from combined corporate/employee campaigns are Altronic, PNC Bank, FirstEnergy Corp., and The Home Savings and Loan Co.
The largest gifts made by a foundation came from The Youngstown Foundation and the Frank & Pearl Gelbman Foundation, which both match dollar-for-dollar any money given the United Way by a new business or campaign.
Copyright 2012 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.