Three hundred community members gathered at Park Place Event Centre Thursday morning to celebrate the results of the 2015 Cedar Valley United Way campaign. Campaign co-chairs Pam Delagarelle, president/CEO of UnityPoint Health – Allen Hospital and Tony DiCecco, a community volunteer, announced $2,902,894 was raised during the 2015 annual campaign.
“We are thrilled to have raised over $2.9 million to help people in the Cedar Valley,” DiCecco said. “The generosity Pam and I encountered as we visited with people and organizations in our community was outstanding.”
“Tony and I were so thankful for the opportunity to lead the United Way campaign,” said Delagardelle. “United Way’s impact can be seen all across our community, supporting children, seniors, individuals and families. Hearing from the organizations that receive United Way funds taught us so much about our community. It was a gift to be able to share that work with the thousands of people we met with the past few months.”
“We had so many companies that stepped up their giving to help,” said DiCecco. “Amperage and its employees increased giving 70% over last year. Veridian Credit Union’s employees gave $95,390, an increase of $14,879.”
“Now is when the real work begins,” added Delagardelle. “I’m excited to see as these gifts go to work in our community, making the Cedar Valley a better place to live and grow.”
Individuals and companies recognized during the Breakfast of Champions included:
- Amperage
- Bergankdv
- CBE Companies
- International Paper
- John Deere Waterloo Operations
- MidAmerican Energy Co.
- SuccessLink
- Veridian Credit Union
- Rose Middleton, Community Volunteer
- Loaned Executive Lisa Parsons, Veridian Credit Union
Eleven businesses were also recognized for having 100 percent participation in the 2014 campaign. Those organizations are:
- Adams Evenson & Co.
- Amperage
- Cedar Valley United Way
- Community Bank & Trust
- Family & Children's Council of BHC
- First National Bank
- Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western
- Lamar Advertising of Waterloo
- Nelson Properties/Midtown Development
- PDCM Insurance Co.
- Struxture Architects
The annual campaign kicked off in August and continued through January. Money raised during the 2015 campaign will be distributed in funding grants to recipients selected by volunteer Community Impact Teams that review grant applications to make recommendations on how the money can most effectively work in the community. Seventy-nine local programs are seeking funding for the 2016-18 funding cycle to support work in the strategic investment areas of education, income and health or emergency and basic needs services. Programs that currently receive funding include after-school and child care programs, support for children in foster care, elderly transportation, community meals and help for victims of domestic violence. Cedar Valley United Way also funds 2-1-1 Information and Referral services.
For more information about Cedar Valley United Way or to learn how you can contribute, visit www.cedarvalleyunitedway.org.
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