February 15, 2002

Last year was a difficult one for charitable organizations across the country. Since vast numbers of people rallied to donate to causes directly benefiting the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the majority of other charities weathered a significant decrease in their own earnings.

Despite a year of unprecedented circumstances, however, MGHers rallied to make the 2001 MGH United Way campaign the most successful in hospital history. MGH employees pledged $232,928 to aid United Way groups and causes, which is $26,081 more than last year's total and nearly $8,000 over the 2001 goal of $225,000. The percentage of employees giving to the campaign this year--11 percent--also was the highest in recent years.

Members of the MGH United Way campaign planning committee held a luncheon Feb. 6.

"This is a wonderful statement from and about the MGH community," says Debra Doroni, administrative director of MGH Surgery and this year's MGH United Way campaign co-chair, along with Alasdair Conn, MD, chief of MGH Emergency Services. "Through hard work and compassion, the hospital has given a great gift to local communities in need. What also is very important is that 50 percent of the amount raised above last year's total will come directly back to MGH Social Services."

MGH Social Services--which uses United Way funds to support such endeavors as its Inpatient Emergency Food Pack Program--will receive approximately $13,000 from this year's campaign. For more information about the United Way campaign, visit http://www.mgh.harvard.edu/pubaffairs/UnitedWay/uwhome.htm. Members of this year's MGH United Way campaign planning committee held a luncheon Feb. 6.