United Way of Berks County Celebrates Campaign Kickoff

from United Way of Berks County

United Way of Berks County’s Campaign Kickoff Event took place on the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 11, at FirstEnergy Stadium, with a campaign goal of $10.6 million announced. The funds that are raised through the campaign are invested in 80+ local programs focused on education, literacy, food security, health, workforce development, and more.

During the event, Campaign Chairs Mike Duff, Kelly Fessler, and Dharma Sivasamy, who represent Penske Transportation Solutions, announced the campaign goal and total raised to date. Mike Duff is a familiar face in the community known for his community leadership. He and his wife, Diane, previously chaired a campaign in 2011. Joining Mike are Kelly and Dhara, two committed individuals who have dedicated over a decade to leading Penske United Way and community-driven activities.

Also during the event was the introduction of this year’s 14 Loaned Campaign Specialists (LCSs), who serve as the campaign backbone, with the majority of LCSs loaned to United Way by their companies and two of the individuals giving of their own time as community volunteers.

Following kickoff, the organization’s annual Day of Caring event, which is one of the largest single-day volunteer events in Berks County, saw nearly 500 volunteers fan out across the county to help local nonprofits with a variety of volunteer projects. Projects included gardening and painting projects, helping at food pantries and serving meals at area shelters, as well as fall maintenance and camp clean-up projects.

“United Way is proud to work with community partners, donors, and volunteers to improve lives and strengthen Berks County. A successful campaign translates into investing in crucial community programs to help our children be prepared for kindergarten and achieve academic success, to help individuals develop job skills for employment, empower families to become financially stable, and help our most vulnerable neighbors with the most basic needs of food, shelter, and safety. It’s all about a commitment to doing right, right here,” said Tammy White, President of United Way of Berks County.

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Source: bctv