Message from the Campaign Chair
September 2007
Dear Colleagues:
Last year Cornell published its first comprehensive Economic Impact Study for New York state, the Finger Lakes region and Tompkins County. After extensively cataloguing Cornell's many local contributions, the study concluded that the university has an enormous impact on the local community and the citizens who live and work in the region.
Stephen Golding, 2007 Cornell United Way campaign chair
The Economic Impact Study further demonstrated the leadership role that Cornell plays within its local community. As the university community continually demonstrates, Cornell's faculty, staff and students have an unlimited capacity to rise above their own self-interests in order to address the needs of the broader Tompkins County community. One such effort is through our generous support for the United Way. The Cornell community annually provides the single largest contribution to the campaign, most years accounting for a third or more of the county-wide goal. This year the university's goal will be an unprecedented $700,000, and we'll need support from all Cornellians at every level to reach our goal. Without this support, participating agencies in the United Way of Tompkins County would not be able to provide the quantity and quality of services that they do to the broader community.
As one of the region's largest employers, Cornell's faculty, staff and students rely heavily on the social services infrastructure within Tompkins County. On a daily basis members of our community avail themselves of the services of one or more United Way member agencies such as: The American Red Cross, Day Care & Child Development Council, the Mental Health Association, or the Human Services Coalition. When members of the Cornell community contribute to the United Way, they are in effect also helping other Cornellians access services.
This year the Cornell United Way Cabinet is setting a goal of 20 percent participation from the Cornell community, joining the President, Provost and Executive Vice President and their leadership teams in contributing to the 2007 United Way Campaign. Through our collective demonstrated leadership, we hope to send the message across the community that Cornell fully understands its role in supporting members of its own community and those who depend on these services throughout the county. We ask you to lend your support to this effort by making a contribution and helping us reach our goal of having Cornell achieve a 20 percent contribution rate to this critical community effort. Thank you for your consideration and support.
Sincerely yours,
Stephen T. Golding
2006 Cornell United Way Campaign Chair
Samuel W. Bodman Executive Vice President
for Finance and Administration