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Bucks for Charity campaign tries to set another new standard

Posted on | October 7, 2009 | 407 views |

Beginning this week, Ohio State is aiming for its seventh consecutive year of donating more than $1 million to the Bucks for Charity campaign.

The 2008 campaign, which supported 300 central Ohio not-for-profit organizations, including umbrella agencies such as United Way, Community Shares of Mid Ohio, Community Health Charities of Ohio, the United Negro College Fund and EarthShare Ohio, raised $1.217 million from 5,329 donors in 2008 — a 1.1 percent donation increase from the prior year.

Through Dec. 11, Ohio State employees can support this year’s campaign goal of $1.225 million and make it another record year of giving. The goal was kept reasonable because the condition of the economy remains shaky, said Michele Bondurant, Ohio State’s Bucks for Charity program manager.

“It’s nice to shoot for the moon, but you also want to be honest with the charities that count so much on our donations,” Bondurant said. “By giving ourselves a realistic goal, it really helps them plan better for the coming year. Does that mean Ohio State can’t surpass this level? Of course not, and that would be a nice surprise during trying times.”

The chairs for this year’s campaign are Karen Bell, associate vice president for the arts initiative, and Caroline Whitacre, vice president of research.

“All of us know someone who has been adversely affected by the bad economy,” Bell said. “Watching the OSU community rally to support those in need is an inspiration.”

It was that desire to help that led Bell to become a chair, and in that position she has heard numerous stories about people whose lives have been altered negatively for the first time.

“When we had our Bucks for Charity opening session and were talking to the group of good leaders that are all over the university, one of the stories I heard was about a woman who had always worked, lost her job and ended up on food coupons. Someone in the grocery store food line was shaming her,” Bell said. “You just want to help people who are finding it tough to get jobs and finding themselves in new situations they’ve never been in before. You want to help people preserve their dignity.

“Bucks for Charity really has multiple opportunities to support people in different ways, whether it’s supporting young people to go to college or young children to have food in their stomachs.”

That call to give has been answered by Ohio State every year. And it is exemplified by the increasing numbers of faculty and staff who donate at the “Leadership Levels,” which range from one-half of 1 percent to 2 percent of their annual salaries.

That option is available again this year, and those who donate at this level will be recognized and invited to the Bucks for Charity finale reception in January and other events. The guidelines for “Leadership Level” giving can be found in the Bucks for Charity brochure at hr.osu.edu/special.

College and unit coordinators have pledge cards available for one-time giving or to have a person’s donation spread equally via payroll deduction throughout the year.

For more information, call 292-0641 or contact your Bucks for Charity coordinator.

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