Community Shares Campaign Director 

Every year, an employee volunteers (or is volunteered) to manage the annual giving campaign at each of our campaign workplaces. The work they do makes all the difference in how successful our campaigns are and how much money is raised in support of social justice. In times like these, it can seem like a monumental task - like facing a dragon! Those individuals are the heroes in our story. Without their efforts, the work of many of our member organizations would suffer.
 
I am inspired and, yes, "wowed" by the heroes who accept the challenge to make a difference in our community!
 
Each organization has its own approach. Some are low key. Some invite us to come and speak to their employees. Some do crazy "fun-raising" events. Some do totally "green" campaigns, like Meaden & Moore. Cheryl Kelly (our hero there) was a trendsetter in the green campaign movement and has, for the last several years, run her campaign electronically. She raises funds for both United Way and Community Shares. This year, Cheryl's hard work and the employees' recognition of increased need in the community resulted in a nearly 50% increase in funds raised for Shares.

Cuyahoga County Public Library's campaign theme is "Caring Can Change People's Lives." Employees there also have a choice of giving to United Way and/or Community Shares. At the campaign kickoff, Sari Feldman, Executive Director, spoke about the importance of supporting the community and giving back. Mark McKinstry, Rose Ford and Judy Roberts all work to make the campaign successful and fun! In addition to employees' gifts through payroll deduction, fablulous gift baskets are raffled off to benefit United Way and Community Shares.

Jill Filicko manages the campaign at Tucker Ellis. This is the second year that Jill has conducted the campaign online and donations to Community Shares are up 39%. 

At the Cleveland Public Library, Sharon Tufts assembled a group of new leaders to infuse this year's campaign with energy. They held meetings at branch libraries, where employees engaged in lively question and answer sessions.

 

And the campaign continues at Cleveland Municipal School District, the City of Cleveland and other locations around town that recognize the need for what our member organizations do.

 

Thanks to the many Clevelanders who are helping each other find solutions to the problems we face!