Mercer University aims to continue its tradition of being one of Central Georgia’s most generous workplaces as it kicks off this year’s United Way campaign with a Sept. 23 luncheon on Cruz Plaza.

Last year, the University raised a record $216,510 to help Central Georgians in need, surpassing its goal of $125,000 by 73% and beating the previous year’s record of $132,922 by 63%.

As a result, Mercer is now the No. 3 most generous workplace in Central Georgia, as determined by its contributions to the United Way of Central Georgia’s workforce campaign. Last year’s campaign raised over $5.3 million and benefited over 137,000 Central Georgians.

Now, Mercer aims to raise $150,000 through the generosity of at least 600 donors.

“Last year, the Mercer community did an outstanding job of coming to the support of people in Central Georgia,” said United Way Campaign Staff Co-Chair Rob Saxon. “The pandemic has had a profound impact on all of us, and the challenges faced by many around us are still great. United Way is a key player in meeting those challenges head-on.”

The Sept. 23 luncheon, which required pre-registration, will highlight agencies and initiatives from United Way of Central Georgia, including Daybreak Day Resource Center, Crisis Line & Safe House of Central Georgia, Middle Georgia Community Food Bank, Macon Volunteer Clinic, Brookdale Resource Center, Read United and Pink Promise United.

Attendees will have the chance to win door prizes, and anyone who pledges to the campaign by 5 p.m. Sept. 27 will be entered in a drawing to win a YETI cooler prize pack.

Saxon co-chairs the United Way Committee with Dr. David Mathis, associate dean of continuing medical education and professor in the School of Medicine. Jan Crocker, assistant director of photography for marketing communications, coordinates the committee, which is made up of faculty and staff from across the University.

For the most up-to-date information about the campaign and to win exclusive prizes, follow the Mercer campaign on Facebook and visit the campaign website at mercer.edu/united-way.

Saxon, assistant director of digital communications for marketing communications, urged Mercerians to give to this year’s campaign.

“The mission of Mercer is to serve, to empower and to inspire, and I can think of no greater way to live our mission than by supporting this year’s United Way campaign,” he said.

 

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Jennifer Falk
Jennifer Falk is director of digital communications at Mercer. She edits and writes feature stories for The Den and examines web data and analytics to drive content decisions. She also creates and supervises the creation of content for primary University web pages and e-newsletters.