We had an absolutely wonderful turnout this morning for our 2024-25 Campaign Wrap Up Breakfast with fifty or so of our hardworking workplace campaign coordinators from across the North Country! Not only did we gather and share a lovely breakfast prepared by CHJC’s Chef Manning and give out some awesome prizes courtesy of Massey’s Furniture Barn and AAA, as well as awards for stand out campaigns and individuals, but on a deeper level we gave great momentum to the LIVE UNITED movement and shared what it means to us, as well as the amazing impact of our collective work across the North Country.
The energy and excitement in the room were palpable as it was shared that in 2024, United Way programming impacted 37,637 individuals, including 14,292 children, across Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties – wow! None of this would have been possible without the dedication of everyone in the room with us, those who could not make it this morning but work to support us each year through our annual campaign, and our amazing pool of donors helping us to unite communities, resources and partners to collaboratively address local needs, foster impactful programming, and enhance quality of life.
Thanks to our collective efforts, we are proud to announce that we have raised a total of $467,089.17 to date across endowments, designations from other United Ways, our annual SEFA campaign, individual giving and our annual workplace campaign, which accounted for the majority of our total, having raised $325,009.35 thanks to the dedication of our coordinators and the spirit of generosity they nurtured in their workplaces! With the funds raised, we anticipate making approximately $360,000 in grants available next year across various North Country programs. Our goal this year is a total of $490,000, so we’re less than $23,000 away – so close to the finish line!
As LIVE UNITED was a draw for our President and CEO Dawn Cole to come to United Way, she asked the gathered coordinators what it means to them. One response in particular really stood out this morning from Dawn Vincent of the North Country Library System, speaking not only as someone who supports the organization, but as someone who was once supported by United Way programming. Dawn has been a longtime United Way contributor and shared how she lost her husband when she was 28 and, without his income, found herself struggling but making too much for most assistance programs. She shared that one of the few agencies that was able to offer assistance was United Way, so when she was able to, she wanted to give back and has been doing so ever since. “To me, LIVE UNITED means giving somebody out there that piece of hope,” she said. “Coming together […] to help that one person who just needs that ray of hope, that helping hand.”
We are so grateful not only to our coordinators who joined us today, but for those who helped make this event possible: Shawn Massey for the amazing donation of an entire living room set from Massey’s Furniture Barn for our grand prize (and even some delicious maple syrup for breakfast!), John Kamide and Nicole Burr from One Digital, Denise Randall from Watertown Savings Bank, and Barb Parks from AAA for some lovely getaways. Thank you all so much for your generosity, it is truly an honor to live and work United with you all!
Congratulations to our prize winners, drawn by Shawn himself with the help of an awesome borrowed raffle drum:
- Stephanie Nevills of Samaritan Health, winner of the living room package
- Robin Love of SeaComm, winner of the Mirror Lake Inn stay
- JJ Hodkinson of Lewis County, winner of a stay at the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel
- Rebecca Murphy of WWNY/TV 7, winner of tickets to our upcoming event in September, the Race Against Poverty
We appreciate every donor and gift made during our annual campaign and are so grateful for the opportunity to honor some of you today with these prizes. We were also honored to award some certificates to stand out campaigns and individuals this morning, with categories ranging from ‘Trailblazer’ and ‘Rising Star,’ to ‘Cornerstone’ and ‘The Closer.’
It was our pleasure to highlight the following outstanding individuals for the 2024-25 campaign season:
- Jerry Moore from THRIVE Wellness and Recovery, awarded ‘Above and Beyond’
- JJ Hodkinson from Lewis County, awarded ‘Next Year’s Gonna Be Our Year’
- Stuart Schmitt from the Watertown Family YMCA, awarded ‘The Closer’
- Brittany Fults from Carthage Central School District, awarded ‘Rising Star’
- Mike Lumbis from the City of Watertown, awarded ‘Trailblazer’
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Seeing the dining hall at CHJC filled with so many of you this morning was a powerful reminder of the strength and compassion that drives our mission forward. Your energy, your stories, and your unwavering dedication to this work inspire us every day. Whether you’re a longtime partner or just getting involved, please know how much your efforts mean to us and to the thousands of lives touched by United Way programming each year. We are beyond grateful to be in this with you to celebrate our progress, rally together for what’s still ahead, and, most of all, to continue to Live United.
Thank you for choosing to LIVE UNITED with us, your support truly means the world!
