Giving back: Employees donate more than $206K
Danielle Oxnam, executive associate and ethics compliance coordinator in the Office of University Initiatives, served as a UA Cares Ambassador and helped coordinate a book drive for Oyama Elementary School in Tucson. (Photo by Nick Hilton)
A pumpkin featuring Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" won the Provost's Favorite award. It was submitted by the College of Humanities.
Abbie Sorg, assistant registrar for academic catalog and policy in the Office of the Registrar, submitted this pumpkin featuring Jack Skellington from "The Nightmare Before Christmas."
Thanks to the characteristic compassion of the University community – and the return of fundraising favorites like the chorizo breakfast and pumpkin-crafting contest – more than $206,000 was raised during this year's UA Cares campaign.
The annual workplace giving campaign benefits University programs and units as well as local nonprofit organizations.
"Thank you to everyone who participated in support of University programs as well as community programs benefiting those in need," wrote President Robert C. Robbins in his weekly University Highlights email. "Whether you gave money or your time, your efforts reflect our core value of compassion."
UA Cares, which ran from Oct. 11-Nov. 12, encourages employees to make one-time contributions or recurring payroll deductions to support University programs through the University of Arizona Foundation and for nonprofit organizations through the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona.
Nick Hilton, assistant director in the Office of Government and Community Relations, coordinated this year's campaign. He says employees from more than half of University colleges and divisions donated money. Hilton says the top fundraising unit was the College of Science, which gave $48,789.08. Faculty and staff throughout campus were also generous with their time, contributing more than 1,500 service hours during the United Way's Days of Caring in October. There were no additional volunteer opportunities offered through the University this year, but Hilton says they will return next year.
"It's inspiring to see so many people come together to pay it forward for others, but it isn't surprising – not for us at least," Hilton said. "The Wildcat family consistently bears down both on and off the field to tackle big challenges and this year was no different. Our colleagues saw needs in our community and stepped up. It's what we do."
This year's fundraising events included the Office of Budget and Planning's 22nd Annual Chorizo Breakfast and Drawing, which returned to an in-person format and took place in the Alumni Plaza on the Mall. The popular event raised money for the Campus Pantry.
The Office of the Provost's Sixth Annual Pumpkin Crafting Contest had a Disney theme this year, with entries spanning the scope of Disney properties including Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel. The event raised money for the campaign through entry fees from participants and by allowing people to pay to cast extra votes for their favorite pumpkins. Both the Provost's Favorite and Fan Favorite winning entries were submitted by the W.A. Franke College of Humanities.