Community's generosity celebrated at 2012 Community Campaign Celebration
COLONIE, NY – United Way of the Greater Capital Region celebrated the community’s generosity at its annual Community Campaign Celebration on April 26, 2012.
Before a crowd of 340 at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center, Master of Ceremonies Craig Apple announced that this year’s United Way Campaign raised $7.3 million for the community. This included $4.9 million raised through the traditional community campaign, $2.2 million raised by local federal and state employees and $160,000 in grants.
Apple, Albany County Sheriff and a member of United Way's Board of Directors, assisted 2011 Campaign Co-Chair William Flaherty, Director of Community and Customer Management for National Grid, in presenting awards to companies that made significant community investments through the 2011-12 United Way Campaign.
Brian T. Hassett, President and CEO of United Way of the Greater Capital Region, said this year’s award-winners demonstrated the power of giving. "We are a generous community and each of you in this room is a testimony to the extraordinary power of caring. Your contributions have created opportunities for a better life for tens of thousands of residents across the Greater Capital Region," he said.
United Way leaders also reported that last year, more than 1,000 volunteers dedicated a total of 28,000 hours to United Way. Based on local wages, this translates to more than $560,000 in donated time, Apple said. "So when we say that United Way multiplies the impact of your contributions, we mean it."
Proceeds from the Campaign Breakfast will support United Way's Community Care Fund. The Community Care fund is the pool of combined dollars from individual and corporate donors that is focused on a portfolio of the region's most critical needs.
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| Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple served as Master of Ceremonies. |
The Campaign Celebration also included a report on United Way's work to assist victims of last year's flooding from tropical storms Irene and Lee.
In the weeks and months following the storms, United Way expanded operating hours of its United Way 2-1-1 telephone information and referral service. When the call came for volunteers to help with cleanup at Schoharie County schools that were exceptionally hard hit, United Way mobilized volunteers and offered staff to work alongside cleanup crews. United Way also convened a group of five organizations under the name PROJECT HOPE to conduct a food and supply drive. Participating partners were Proctors, the City Mission of Schenectady, the Daily Gazette and Hannaford Supermarkets. The result was two tractor-trailer loads of donated food and supplies that were sent to struggling families. At the same time, United Way worked with a regional financial institution to help issue mini-grants to hard-hit farmers who suffered loss to their business.
United Way of the Greater Capital Region brings people and resources together to achieve measurable and sustainable improvements in the quality of life for our community.
Photos by Joanheffler.com. More photos from this event on United Way of the Greater Capital Region's 
page.