October 4 , 2002

Oct. 7 marks the kick-off of the 2002 United Way campaign at the MGH. This year's campaign will feature the slogan "Now more than ever: Give to the United Way." The goal of the campaign is to raise $255,000, a 10 percent increase over last year's results. The campaign also will focus on increasing the percentage of MGH employees who donate to the United Way.

An important aspect of the United Way campaign is that a percentage of the money raised beyond the goal goes directly back to the hospital in the form of a donation to MGH Social Services. Last year, MGH Social Services received approximately $13,000 that helped provide extra care to patients and families in need. During the course of this year's campaign, which will run through the end of October, fliers and posters will be displayed throughout the hospital depicting examples of how MGH patients have been helped by this support. "Every year, MGH staff and employees show such generosity in their pledges to the United Way campaign," says David Read, administrative director for MGH Cardiology and the 2002 United Way campaign chair. "We want to make this year's campaign the most successful in MGH history – a monumental task given the recent economic downturn. But we hope to build upon last year's campaign success so that many more families and individuals in Massachusetts can benefit from the more than 200 United Way programs."

MGH employees will receive pledge cards and other United Way information with a paycheck this month. Upcoming issues of Hotline will have more information about the campaign.