Support Letter

Dear :

Because United Way is important to me and to the communities we serve, I wanted to share with you some thoughts regarding questions we have gotten about United Way.

United Way is Local

United Way of Central Maryland (UWCM), our local United Way organization, serves Central Maryland — that is, BaltimoreCity, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties. If you give to UWCM, the money works for agencies located right around us.

Giving to United Way Impacts Our Community

Beginning in 2007, United Way required agencies to go through an RFP process to show how they would impact the lives of people they serve. Forty-two impact agencies were chosen to receive money over the next 2 ½ years. At the end of that period they will be evaluated to see that the money was well spent and if funding should continue. Many of these agencies impact the neighborhoods we serve, and one is right here at the School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Hospital Anne Duggan’s Early Childhood Intervention Program.

Pledging to United Way is a Smart Way to Give

If you give $100 to United Way charities, or a charity you designate, the charity will receive $87.50 through the JHM electronic campaign. Many non-profits have a much higher administrative fee. And anything the charities receive through United Wayis at no cost to them and is ready to be used for programs and services. So, giving through United Way  which serves just like a collection agency  is really a smart way to make personal donations.

As you can see, I’m convinced that giving to United Way is a good thing to do. I’m encouraging you to join me this year. Here’s how to do it
E-Way

The Hopkins United Way Campaign is green this year  yes, electronic! You will receive no pre-printed paper form this year. By pledging online, you reduce the United Way administrative fee and save paper.The Website for pledging is:

-Campaign Code: Hopkins08

- User name and password are your JHED ID

Designation

You have several choices if you wish to designate your contribution:

•Donate all or part of your gift to one or more of the four United Way

ImpactAreas: Basic Needs, Family Safety, School Readiness and Youth

Achieving Potential

•Donate all or part of your gift to the JohnsHopkinsUniversity Neighborhood Fund:

-Contributions will be focused on charities serving the Homewood and East Baltimore neighborhoods

•Donate all or part of your gift to a specific charity:

-Designate by clicking on the name. On E-way, just click on the name of the charity. (If you do print off and use a paper form, write in the name of the charity.)

-Designate by typing in the name. If you would like to designate to a charity that is not listed on E-way, you may type in the name and address of anyhealth or human services charity in the United States. (Again, if you do print off and use a paper form, write in the name of the charity.)

-There is a $50 minimum for each organization you designate by number or by name.

If you want to learn more about United Way, go to hopkinsmedicine.org/unitedway. You’ll see questions and answers that hopefully will clarify any remaining questions you have. But if you still have questions, you can e-mail Joanne Pollak at or Molly Boncaro at

Last, if you are not already a member of United Way’s Leadership Society in Central Maryland, please think about joining us. If you give $750 this year, the Weinberg Foundation will match your gift with $250, to bring you to the $1000 leadership level. The only thing United Way asks is that you commit to giving $1000 next year. This makes joining easy and convenient. And it makes a very important statement about your personal commitment to the community.

Thank you for considering a gift this year!

/signed/

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