It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s…Time to break out your wallet and give to United Way. United Way recently kicked off its 2014 fundraising campaign, “Unleash Your Super Hero”, with a goal of raising $4.25 million, said President/CEO LaVerne Gold.

At an Aug. 25 kickoff luncheon at Bell Auditorium, Campaign Chairman Dr. Faye Hargrove dressed as Wonder Woman to appeal to the audience to unleash their inner superhero. 

“Grab your cape and join the United Way Giving League,” said Hargrove, president and CEO of Hargrove Leadership Services. “We are looking for local heroes who will help us achieve our goal.  Give, Advocate, Volunteer, and above all else, be generous.  Generosity is your greatest weapon against illiteracy, poverty, crisis, and so much more.” 

The funds are raised largely through individual donations and company campaigns at nearly 700 worksites. Adopting a catchy theme for the 12-week campaign is just one way to fuel excitement about giving, said Vicki Fricks marketing/communications manager.

 “We try to find a theme that they can relate to and have fun with.  Superhero seemed to be a good theme that everyone could get on board with,” she added.

United Way of the CSRA’s mission is to improve life in our community by maximizing the impact of charitable contributions. United Way supports 44 programs through 23 local nonprofit agencies in the Central Savannah River Area each year. The work that these agencies do helps victims of domestic violence, provides job training, provides services for area seniors, and funds programs to help those with financial and medical needs in our community, just to name a few.

“United Way brings individuals, corporations, and other stakeholders together to tackle our community’s most difficult issues in the areas of education, financial stability, and health,” said LaVerne Gold, president/CEO. “United Way gives a donor the avenue to make one contribution and support these 23 different organizations at one time.  United Way brings value and impact to our local community for our most vulnerable citizens.”

The agency will announce the dollars raised at the 2015 Annual Meeting at the Augusta Marriott on Feb. 24, 2015, an annual event that attracts around 650 business and community leaders. 

There are several ways to give: go online at uwcsra.org, contribute through your workplace campaigns, or call the United Way office at 706-724-5544, or mail donations to United Way, P.O. Box 1724, Augusta, 30904. United Way and its partner agencies serve Richmond, Columbia, Burke, Lincoln, Wilkes, Taliaferro, and Glascock counties, and communities in Warren, Jefferson, Emanuel, Jenkins, and McDuffie Counties.  Services also extend to communities in Aiken, Edgefield and McCormick counties in South Carolina.