The 2022 United Way Annual Campaign is a community fundraising drive to support community-based non-profit agencies to address the River Region's health, education, financial stability, and basic needs.
The theme of the 2022 effort is “Be a Champion in Your Community.” RRUW’s 2022 Annual Campaign is co-chaired by Delbert Madison, an executive with ServisFirst Bank, and Ronda Cherry-Smoke, from Alabama Power.
"I am excited to kick off our 2022 Campaign,” said Ronda Cherry-Smoke, the co-chair of the 2022 River Region United Way Annual Campaign. “Improving the quality of life for all takes a community effort. With challenges shaped by the pandemic, an increase in community needs, and changes in the workplace, increased access to resources is critical to accomplishing the United Way’s community impact goals.”
This year’s annual campaign features new leadership at RRUW, and a return to the organization’s mission focused on allocating community resources to those already serving the community.
“As the United Way has been a part of my life since childhood, I am so honored and humbled to have been chosen as the president and CEO of the River Region United Way,” said Jannah Morgan Bailey, the new president and CEO of the River Region United Way. “With this responsibility, it is through personal and professional experience, commitment to our community, and desire to support the ongoing work of our Community Agency Partners that this year’s annual campaign is so important. Be a champion for your family, your friends, your neighbors, and even for someone you may never meet.”
To celebrate the launch of this year’s fundraising effort, the RRUW hosted a tailgate kickoff celebration for the organization’s donors, volunteers, and supporters. Attendees met representatives of the United Way’s 42 affiliated community agencies and learned about their new projects and initiatives.
Among RRUW’s community partners featured during the Tailgate included David Lewis, the General Director & CEO of the Prattville YMCA. He said, “The United Way has a legacy of support for non-profits in the River Region that extends almost 100 years. This annual support to over 40 agencies helps empower them to do incredible work and improve the quality of life in our community for people of all ages.”
“Each year presents a renewed opportunity for the River Region United Way to focus on challenging obstacles in areas of education, financial stability, health, and basic needs,” said W. Rhea Ingram, Ph.D., Chair and Chief Volunteer Officer, River Region United Way Board of Directors. "This year, I am excited about the collective energy felt throughout our communities. I encourage each of us, everyone in the River Region, to invest in the programs that are driving measurable progress against our most critical needs.”
“The River Region United Way makes a huge impact for our agency and the child abuse victims and families we serve,” said Emily Hutcheson, the assistant director/child forensic interview specialist for Butterfly Bridge, Children’s Advocacy Center. “For the first time in quite a while, we feel more connected to the RRUW, and we know the future is bright because of that.
River Region businesses interested in partnering with the River Region United Way in this year’s annual campaign should contact RRUW’s Director of Development, Margen Gadd, at mgadd@RRUW.org.
Among the opportunities to participate in this year’s annual campaign is to enroll your employees in a workplace giving campaign. Participating employees can sign up for an automatic payroll deduction or make a one-time donation to RRUW via check or credit card.