The totals are in: Employees and students from the
university, Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Applied Physics
Laboratory pledged more than $2.5 million to the 2006
United Way of Central Maryland campaign. The amount, just
short of the campaign's overall goal, is the third largest
in university history.
The university this past year employed a more
streamlined and personal approach than in previous years.
In place of traditional university and divisionwide
kickoffs, the campaigns featured more department- and
office-level events that sought to educate Johns Hopkins
employees on why to give to United Way of Central Maryland,
which supports human service agencies in Baltimore City and
its five surrounding counties. The campaign was shortened,
too, officially ending on Nov. 22.
The university took a cue from United Way of Central
Maryland, which has adopted a new, sharpened focus that
seeks to prioritize four impact areas: Basic Human Needs,
Family Safety, School Readiness and Youth Achieving
Potential. After a competitive bidding process that took
place over the summer, it now supports 40 agancies that
best demonstrated their ability to deliver long-term,
measurable results in these impact areas.
In addition, the organization is continuing its
partnerships with the American Red Cross, Associated Black
Charities, the Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore,
Catholic Charities, the American Heart Association, the
American Cancer Society and Community Health Charities of
Maryland.
Julie Hiscox
Photo by Will Kirk/HIPS
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This year's three campaign chairs — for the
university, Frank Bossle, executive director of the Office
of Hopkins Internal Audits; for the Applied Physics
Laboratory, Sharon Warner, managing executive of the Lab's
Business Services Department; and for Johns Hopkins
Medicine, Patricia Brown, president of Johns Hopkins Health
Care — set a total goal of $2,670,000. The JHM
campaign was co-chaired by Barbara De Lateur, director and
Lawrence Cardinal Shehan Chair of the Department of
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
The university's campaign officially kicked off on
Oct. 2. Johns Hopkins Medicine launched its intensive
two-week United Way effort the following month. APL's
campaign took place from Sept. 11 to Oct. 13.
Bossle said that the final donation figure was
"extremely" generous, topped only by the totals from the
two previous years.
"While it's very disappointing that we didn't reach
our overall goal, there is a lot to be thankful for. We
appreciate all the hard work our coordinators put in and
all those who pledged this year," Bossle said. "I think
people should be really proud of being on the ground floor
of this bold new attempt by United Way to fix some of the
root problems in our communities, rather then deal with the
symptoms. I'm very optimistic about what the future
holds."
The Johns Hopkins Medicine campaign had perhaps the
most positive overall campaign, besting its financial goal
by 6 percent and increasing its participation rate by more
than 5 percent over the previous year, going from 19.5
percent to 24.1 percent.
"This is a significant increase, most of which is
attributable to the phenomenal success at Johns Hopkins
Bayview Medical Center, which increased its participation
from 16 percent to 47.7 percent," said Patricia Brown. "The
fact that we have been able to move our participation rates
up by 24 percent in the aggregate only goes to show that it
can be done. Increased giving, coupled with the new United
Way focus on outcomes and results, only means more benefit
to those in need in our community."
As to why the university did not achieve its overall
goal, Bossle said that the reason was likely a confluence
of factors, many of them internal. Specifically, he said
that there was an "uneven" delivery in pledge forms as some
were hand-delivered and some mailed out.
"We got out of the blocks really slowly this year, and
perhaps never fully recovered," he said. "Next year I think
we need to go back to a more uniform department by
department and personal contact approach to delivering
pledge forms and making first contact with people."
Ed Skrodzki
Photo by Will Kirk/HIPS
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Johns Hopkins United Way leadership also noted that
the United Way of Central Maryland's decision to trim down
its number of supported agencies also might have had an
impact on the campaign, as the final list of agencies was
not announced until the JHU campaign was officially
over.
The $2,519,627 raised represents a total for
contributions from JHM and all university divisions except
the School of Advanced International Studies, whose
donations are reported to the National Capital Area
campaign in Washington. Last year's combined Johns Hopkins
gifts to the United Way of Central Maryland totaled
$2,690,000. Jan. 1 was the official last day pledges were
marked toward the 2006 United Way of Central Maryland
campaign, although donations are still being accepted.
Three of the university's 13 United Way-designated
units exceeded their goal: Homewood Student Affairs, the
School of Medicine, and retired faculty and staff. Of
special note in this year's campaign, the School of
Medicine bested its goal by 5 percent, raising $578,576.
Homewood Student Affairs had the highest participation
rate, 54 percent, and raised $36,072. The School of Nursing
had the second-highest participation rate, 43 percent.
The combined participation rate was 16.2 percent.
Overall, Johns Hopkins institutions had 434 leadership
members, a designation for those who donate $1,000 or more.
Leadership members were responsible for 29 percent of the
total collected.
APL raised $658,480, with a 37 percent participation
rate. To date, Lab staff have also taken part in 30 Day of
Caring events and 200 participation hours.
Warner said that while she was very happy with the
campaign's strong finish and that it topped its goal, the
Lab would have liked a higher participation rate. There is
also some concern, she said, that several Howard County
agencies that had received funding from the United Way in
the past were not selected by the agency for its new safety
net.
"One of the messages that we highlighted was how the
contributions help those in our neighborhood, and that
thought is diminished somewhat because of this change,"
Warner said.
Bill Conley
Photo by Will Kirk/HIPS
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For this campaign, the university's annual Day of
Caring event involved Civic Works, a nonprofit agency that
provides community services throughout Baltimore, including
team-based service projects and after-school tutoring. JHU
employees joined Civic Works staff and Americorps members
on Oct. 24 to clean up and beautify a vacant lot on the
corner of Homewood and North avenues, across from Green
Mount Cemetery. The team mulched the area and planted
trees, rose bushes and flowers. In October, Johns Hopkins
employees took part in the Share Yourself Makeover
Challenge, which invited six major area employers to help
renovate the East Baltimore headquarters of Healthy Start,
a United Way agency that offers client-oriented core
services to the area's pregnant women and infants.
Divisions and departments also hosted special
fund-raising events, including the Chili Cook-Off sponsored
by Homewood Student Affairs and the Office of Faculty,
Staff and Retiree Programs. Several departments had bake
sales and contests — the School of Professional
Studies in Business and Education (now the Carey Business
School and the School of Education) had a "count the candy
in the jar" contest, and Peabody had a balloon pop with
prizes hidden inside.
Larry Walton, president of United Way of Central
Maryland, said, "The dedication that Johns Hopkins
University continues to show to United Way and the
community is remarkable. In a year of change to Community
Impact, it is courageous not only of our organization, but
of those donors who stand with us in facing the issues of
our communities head on. We commend the tireless effort
that Johns Hopkins has given to United Way and its
partners."
Although the campaign has officially ended, donations
are needed and welcome all year. To make a pledge, or for
more information on the campaign, go to
www.jhu.edu/unitedway.
For a complete list of the agencies now supported by
United Way of Central Maryland, go to www.uwcm.org.
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