The announcement came during a luncheon Thursday attended by volunteers, businesses and organizations participating in the campaign.
The funds raised will go to benefit member agencies during 2008.
The pledge drive exceeded its $1.4 million goal by 16 percent, said Ann Thompson, executive director of United Way of Central Texas. “It’s $200,000 more than last year. We are going up.”
Ms. Thompson said United Way has been making great strides.
“When I first came here in 2001 we were making $700,000 in our campaigns,” she said.
Ms. Thompson said the success was not about her but about the hard work of volunteers, a leadership society, and increases in corporate giving.
She said the overhead for United Way is low at 12 percent. All of the funds raised stay in Central Texas.
“I think people thought for a long time United Way contributions were sent to a national chapter and that is not true,” said Ms. Thompson. “When people grasp that idea they totally want to help their community.”
She said the leadership society has increased from 150 members to 550. Leaders make contact with others in the community who are in a position to help the cause and recruit their help.
“It’s made a big difference,” said Ms. Thompson.
Corporations, Bell County government and the cities of Temple and Belton have been big contributors, she said.
“But we’ve also started getting small businesses on board,” she said. “It’s a community volume thing.”
While guests dined on barbecue, hamburgers and trimmings at the Ralph Wilson Youth Clubs, local luminaries took the podium to weigh in on the record effort.
“Let’s take a few moments to celebrate what we have accomplished,” said Mayor Bill Jones of Temple.
Jones said the cities of Temple and Belton came together 15 years ago to collaborate on the United Way cause.
“United Way takes such a huge part of making Temple and Belton what they are,” Jones said. “It’s great to be a part of that.”
Mayor Jim Covington of Belton said United Way had made a tremendous difference in a lot of lives in Belton.
“It’s made a difference for all socioeconomic levels - the affluent as well. There is absolutely no doubt about it.”
Graham Hatcher, campaign manager for 2007, got a chuckle from the audience when he told them that as a youth he was never any good at asking his parents for money.
Hatcher evidently didn’t have that problem asking for pledges for United Way. He said he found that the local community gives generously and believes in helping one another.
Ms. Thompson said the luncheon was like a warm thank you note for those who worked hard in the campaign and a forum to make the announcement of end-of-campaign results.
In April, an awards ceremony will recognize the top workers and contributors in 15 categories, she said.
Companies that gave $20,000 or more were: City of Temple, H-E-B, Extraco Banks, King’s Daughters Hospital, McLane Corporate, McLane Group, PACTIV Corp., Scott & White Memorial Hospital, UPS Corp. and Wilsonart ITW.
Ms. Thompson said Wilsonart raised $500,000.
The contributions touch the lives of more than 150,000 in the community, Ms. Thompson said.
hclark@temple-telegram.com
