By Stephen Wilson

It’s common in workplace culture to want a sweet treat in the later afternoon. Many reach for a candy bowl, but only a few use that candy to inspire a team.

Sheryl Riddlestorffer, office manager for Admissions and Financial Aid, wanted to find a way to make the team feel connected and less alone. So during the first week of remote work, she sent a thank you note to members of the team who had to remain on campus in order to complete acceptance decisions for the Class of 2024.

Heather Hahn ’03
Development Technology Specialist

I am a new donor to the United Way because I believe in helping those less fortunate than I am.  By working in 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 College’s development office, I’ve been able to see firsthand how donations can help others, and this is a great way to help out the broader community. I leave the designation determination to those at the United Way who have more insight into what is needed most.

Rose Marie Bukics
Thomas Roy and Lura Forrest Jones Professor of Economics

I have been giving for as long as I can remember, both at 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 and when I was working in business. It just seems like the right thing to do to help support those in need in my community. My donation is not to a specific nonprofit, because I rely on those who are most in tune with the specific needs of the community to channel funds to those most in need. I have been a volleyball coach for youth groups that received United Way funding, and that support allowed some youngsters to participate who might not otherwise have been able to.

Fran O’Hanon
Head coach, men’s basketball

I think it’s important to give back to one’s community, and I often designate a portion of my gift to some of the youth organizations supported by United Way. The most frequent objection I hear to participating is that people donate to so many other causes they don’t feel a need to give to United Way. But I have seen how United Way’s support makes a difference, and I just want to do my small part in helping them help others.

Kia Damon
Head coach, women’s basketball

I started giving to United Way last year when I received an invitation to donate from a colleague.  I did not hesitate to donate because I believe one of my civic duties is to do as much as I can to serve my local community. Philanthropic endeavors have played a large role in my life—usually in the faith realm. I know that building strong communities begins with having strong people! United Way provides hope, education, and resources to those who have encountered difficult circumstances in life. I can’t think of a better way to help people in our community gain strength than by supporting the efforts of United Way.

Amber Zuber with her 2016 Administrator of the Year Award

Amber Zuber
Director of leadership and service, Landis Center for Community Engagement

Easton is a vibrant city with exciting things happening downtown, in the arts scene, and in celebrating our history.  But our city also has challenges: Thirty percent of our children live below the poverty line, homeless shelters have waiting lists, and many of our residents struggle with food insecurity. 

I participate in 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 ’s United Way campaign because of its connection to our city and our students. Through Landis, we partner with organizations throughout Easton that benefit from United Way’s support.  Our partnerships directly impact the students I work with every day as they develop as leaders and active citizens. 

Together, our students and partners work to address challenges, develop relationships, and find meaning and hope for a better future.  Our Landis programs wouldn’t be possible without our partner organizations, and many of their programs wouldn’t be possible without United Way’s support. 

Adam Stauffer (left) talks with Peter Simon ’75 P’11’14.

Adam Stauffer
Assistant vice president, principal gifts, gift planning and athletics fundraising

As a professional fundraiser, I’m surrounded by stories of impact and am blessed to see the power of philanthropy on a daily basis. Within my own community, the Lehigh Valley, I see that there are those lacking the resources to get by or struggling with a particular issue. It is for this reason that my wife and I choose to direct our resources to the United Way with the hope that our support can change someone’s life for the better.

We designate our support to the United Way’s food access program, as well as a handful of smaller charities across the state that have personally touched our lives in a positive way. It pains us to think that so many, in particular school-aged children, are hungry and at times wondering where they will find their next meal. Through programs within the school district funded by the United Way, we know they can have three meals a day and even food for the weekend thanks to philanthropy.

The most frequent objection I hear to supporting United Way is that support would go to a “black hole” or to cover unnecessary administrative expenses. I respond that yes, there are administrative expenses to running even a nonprofit, but the vast majority of funds support the key priorities of food access, healthy aging, emergency services, and education.

Unlike staff member

“I have always appreciated the United Way solution to charitable giving,” says Root, professor of mathematics and clerk of the faculty. “By giving to United Way, you’re taking care of seniors, kids, all of the people in our community who really need help.”

Root divides his pledge, allowing United Way to direct part of his gift to agencies most in need, while designating another part of his gift to Planned Parenthood.

“It’s always been a disappointment to me that Planned Parenthood is seen as controversial; what’s debatable about wanting to support women’s health?” Root asks. “Planned Parenthood plays a really important part in looking after the health of the women in our community. That matters to me, and so I make a point of supporting them. And every year I get emails and letters of thanks from them.”

So why not just contribute directly to Planned Parenthood instead of giving through United Way?

“I’m not going to stop anybody from giving money directly to Planned Parenthood,” Root responds. “But to me it’s worth a very little bit of overhead to have United Way out there looking for the most worthy organizations that care for the many different constituencies in our society that need help. United Way makes sure my money is used effectively, and I appreciate that.”

Root also gives not just as a citizen of the community, but as a citizen of 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 . “The ways that the College helps the wider community are much broader than our contributions to the United Way,” he says. “But our contributions to the United Way are an important statement of our commitment to the community we live in.”

But it wasn’t until last year, after a decade of United Way solicitations of Vicki and her fellow College employees, that she and her husband decided to make United Way a part of their charitable giving.

“I realized that the United Way knows what the greatest needs in our community are,” says Miller, who is administrative assistant to the vice president in the Division of Development and College Relations. “This is home. We raised our children here. We’ll probably live here forever, and we trust United Way to do the right thing for nonprofits.”

A day or two after Miller made her pledge last year, campus United Way campaign chair and enrollment Vice President Greg MacDonald spoke to her division about the importance of supporting United Way. MacDonald was so persuasive that Miller increased her pledge.

“It was powerful to hear personally from someone who was so passionate about what United Way does,” Miller says. “He also talked about the importance of showing the rest of the community that the employees of 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 care about our neighbors.”

Now Miller would like to see a bit of competition among the administrative divisions on campus. She figures that bragging rights for the highest rate of employee participation might motivate some staff to become first-time donors, even if they’ve been longtime employees.

“It’s never too late to join a good thing,” says Miller, who increased her pledge this year to take advantage of the Century Challenge match.

“I give to the United Way because I see firsthand how those contributions can make a real difference in the daily lives of children in Easton,” says Amber Zuber, director of Landis Student Leadership.

Zuber oversees the work of 32 student coordinators–including Triano and Jiang–who learn leadership skills through volunteer service. Those service opportunities include domestic and international trips during school breaks; a pre-orientation program that introduces first-year students to volunteer opportunities in Easton; and MOSAIC, a program that pairs 32 students with nonprofits, with each student recruiting peers to participate in weekly service projects that they create in partnership with the organizations.

At Cheston Elementary, Jiang convinced students to improve their attendance by dangling this reward: lunch with 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 ’s men’s basketball team.

Other student projects include homework help and tutoring at Boys & Girls Club of Easton and Easton Area Community Center, as well as shopping, cooking, and sharing meals that they prepare with residents at Third Street Alliance, a shelter for women and children. all three of those organizations benefit from United Way funding.

“A gift to United Way helps our students help our neighbors while they learn to lead and serve,” Zuber says. “It’s a combination that’s hard to match.”

The lunch begins at noon Friday in Marlo West at Farinon Center.

Last year, 167 employees (a 43 percent increase over the previous year) pledged $43,581 (a 39 percent increase). Both were all-time highs for the College. This year’s goals are to have 200 donors pledge a total of $50,000.

Greg MacDonald, vice president for enrollment management, is serving as campaign chair for the second consecutive year.

“Together we can make a real difference in the quality of life for so many people throughout the Lehigh Valley,” MacDonald says. “Our neighbors need help with education, access to food, healthy aging, and emergency services. Gifts of any size contribute significantly to a greater impact.”

Last year’s average employee gift was $261, or just under $22 per month. If 纸飞机外国软件叫什么 maintained that average with only an additional 33 employees participating,  the College’s contribution would total $52,200.

United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, in celebration of its 100^th anniversary and with the support of a dozen companies and anonymous individuals, will match dollar-for-dollar any new or increased gift of $100 or more. So, if someone who gave $200 last year increases his or her donation to $300 this year, or if a new participant gives $100 or more, those increased and new gifts will be matched up to a total of $1 million campaign wide.

To learn more about United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and this year’s campaign, please watch this video.

This year’s campaign committee includes MacDonald, Mark Eyerly, Sheryl Riddlestorffer, Shelby Smith, Adam Stauffer, and Robert Young.