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Giving Thanks and #GivingTuesday: Why You Should Support United Way

November 4, 2015

Russ Thomas
Russ Thomas

By Russ Thomas, CEO at Availity, LLC
2015-2016 United Way of Northeast Florida Campaign Chair

With Halloween behind us and cool weather creeping in, giving season is in full swing here at United Way of Northeast Florida. It’s our busiest time of year, with corporate campaigns and individual giving at their peak. In addition, hundreds of volunteers participate in dozens of events that will help build a better community for all.

To highlight why you should join our efforts to improve the community through education, financial stability and health initiatives, we’re presenting a series of blog posts through November to showcase why it’s important – and effective – to #LiveUnited. The blog series will culminate on Dec. 1, #GivingTuesday, with a special message from United Way of Northeast Florida leaders.

But first, it’s only appropriate we give thanks to those shaping the community year round.

We’d like to thank our volunteers. Just last week, Regency Centers volunteers packaged more than 10,000 pounds of food at Feeding Northeast Florida – in a single morning. Also last week, our first-ever Upstream program began, with Stein Fellows volunteering their time to guide University of North Florida students through social-change projects. I am constantly amazed by the incredible, hardworking community we live in, with its incredible ideas to match!

We’d like to thank our donors. From corporate gifts and workplace campaigns to individual givers and legacy-gift pledges, your dollars make a difference. Thanks to your generosity, Community Impact Fund partners receive vital resources needed to continue making the community a better place. Also, thanks to your giving, United Way of Northeast Florida’s impact programs (Achievers For Life, Full Service Schools, ReadingPals, RealSense, Success by 6 and 2-1-1) thrive, and as a result, our community thrives as well.

But we still have work to do. There are still students in Northeast Florida who require extra guidance to excel in school. There still are families who need help filing their taxes properly. There are still children who need emotional support and resources to cope with unfortunate circumstances beyond their control. And you can help improve their lives.

This month, stay tuned to this blog. We hope you will find it inspiring, and we encourage you to broadly share what it means to #LiveUnited. We sincerely appreciate all who already give to United Way.  Your contributions make a difference. If you have not yet contributed, we hope you will join hundreds of other supporters in participating in the national day of giving, #GivingTuesday, Dec. 1. During 2016, we will keep you posted on how your contributions are changing lives in Northeast Florida.

Let’s get ready to give back on #GivingTuesday. Let’s #LiveUnited.

 

Ready to give today? Process your donation at our quick online giving platform: www.unitedwaynefl.org/donate.