Dear staff and faculty colleagues,
I am thrilled to officially launch this year’s UC Santa Cruz employee campaign in support of United Way of Santa Cruz County! Those new to our campus community may not be aware of the important support the United Way provides to Santa Cruz County. Just this summer, the local group partnered with the county Office of Education to raise more than $32,000 to purchase school supplies and backpacks for more than 2,100 youth experiencing homelessness. Over 150 volunteers, including UCSC staff, helped stuff the backpacks, helping to ensure that K-12 students returned to the classroom with the supplies they needed.
During the past two years, through the generous support of donors and advocates like you, United Way of Santa Cruz County has:
- Responded to more than 8,000 calls for assistance, delivered thousands of food pantry and meal boxes, placed more than 1,000 people in hotels during wildfire evacuations, and provided financial assistance to those impacted by COVID-19 and the CZU Lightning Complex fires.
- Launched a Youth Action Network — now with nearly 60 members— to focus on amplifying youth voices, increasing co-generational solutions with adult allies, and positioning youth as the drivers of community change.
- Sought to create new ways to support local youth, providing tutoring, family counseling, mindfulness activities, and other whole-person services through the United 4 Youth neighborhood initiative in Watsonville and Santa Cruz/Live Oak.
Giving is easy
If you donated through payroll deduction during last year’s United Way campaign, your annual donation will automatically roll over into the 2022 campaign. Your donation amount will remain the same.
If you're a new donor or a donor considering increasing your gift, you can do so by creating a new pledge. You can choose a deduction per pay period or a one-time contribution. The campaign runs through the month of September, so act now! Just follow these three easy steps:
- Click on the Donation Page: www.unitedwaysc.org/ucscunited
- Choose either Payroll Deduction, Pledge by Card, Check or Continue my Giving
- Fill out your information!
Thank you for your continued support of the United Way campaign and for helping to create a thriving, healthy and safe Santa Cruz County for all!
Sincerely,
Fiona Weigant
UCSC’s United Way Employee Campaign Manager
