It’s that time of year again at TASC, time we kick into high gear for our annual United Way of Dane County Campaign. Every year I’m extremely pleased with the ambitious goal we set, and every year I’m extremely proud because we not only meet that goal, we surpass it!
The numbers make it crystal clear. Over the past four years TASC giving has increased on average more than 14 percent a year. The high point came in 2011 when we increased our overall giving by 30 percent over the previous year.
This level of giving reflects a fairly steady increase in TASC employee participation in our annual pledge drive, with the watershed mark coming again in 2011, when over 50 percent of our team contributed to United Way. That number climbs to over 80 percent when we add employees who contribute to our other United Way Campaign events, like our Silent Auction or our TASC Cookbook. And with more than half of our team located across the country, these funds are funneled directly into the United Way in their local communities and go to work far beyond Dane County, Wisconsin.
Recently, TASC has launched a small business initiative on behalf of the United Way of Dane County. Our Jump Start Campaign is targeting one thousand local businesses which have never participated in a United Way campaign. As part of the campaign we created a user-friendly do-it-yourself guide to implementing and managing a United Way campaign. The process is easier than you think. Already, in addition to adding 25 new companies to the roster of participating business, the Jump Start Campaign has proven a wonderful method for building our brand in our own neighborhood as well.
Don’t think your team can make an impact? Follow this link (http://www.unitedwaydanecounty.org/housing-first/) to watch a video about the Housing First Project of the United Way of Dane County. This video documents the impact made on one family when a small group of TASC employees work together for the good of the community.
I hope you will all consider giving to and volunteering with the United Way in your local community this year.
TASC CEO Blog 