PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 20, No. 6, Sept. 21, 2000 CCFD index

UI employees continue tradition of caring
A famed aerialist once walked a tightrope across Niagara Falls in a gusty wind. Needless to say, he was relieved to finally reach the other side where several people were gathered to congratulate him, among them a man with a wheelbarrow.

"I believe you could walk back across pushing this wheelbarrow," the fan told him.

The aerialist was flattered but told the man firmly that he was just glad to have made it across once. That answer didn’t suit the fan, though, and he persisted.

"I know you can do it if you try," he kept insisting.

Finally, the tightrope walker relented. "You really believe in me, don’t you?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, I do," said the fan.

"Okay," the aerialist said, "get in the wheelbarrow and we’ll start."

The 15 organizations representing more than 400 charities that benefit from UI’s Campus Charitable Fund Drive each year are walking a tightrope and making steady progress toward improving people’s lives. With the help of thousands of employees at UI’s Urbana-Champaign campus, they have found the financial means to provide needed services and supplies to the people of this community, state, nation and the world.

Like the audience for the aerialist’s act of daring, we all applaud the accomplishments of these agencies. And, like the zealous fan, we are sure they can accomplish much more and must decide how far we’re willing to go to assist them.

The Campus Charitable Fund Drive has an amazing record, surpassing its goals each year. In fact, last year the drive had its most ambitious goal ever – $800,000 – and proceeded to smash all previous records by generating donations in excess of $953,000. This campus can take a great deal of pride in providing that kind of support for its neediest neighbors.

But when the giving is so consistently generous, how can we hope to improve our campaign?

This year, the CCFD monetary goal is $875,000. But a second goal is to increase the number of faculty and staff members contributing.

In terms of charitable giving, the Illinois campus reflects a national trend. Independent Sector, the respected national not-for-profit organization that measures and encourages philanthropy and volunteering, reports that while the size of donations is increasing, the percentage of U.S. households that give to charity is decreasing. Independent Sector found that in 1991, 72.2 percent of households gave to at least one charity, with an average household donation of $899. By 1998, the average household donation had increased to $1,075, but the percentage of households that gave had fallen to 70.1.

Over the same period, the Campus Charitable Fund Drive has seen the percentage of employees donating drop from 28 percent in 1991 to 22 percent in 1998. While we are thankful to all that participate, we hope that all employees find in this year’s Campus Charitable Fund Drive an easy way to join this effort at building up our community and our world.

"I am honored and delighted to chair the Campus Charitable Fund Drive a second time," said Kathleen Conlin, dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts. "The ability of campus faculty and staff members to contribute in meaningfully supportive ways to the well-being of our community provides deep satisfaction. I urge all our colleagues to work with the fund drive this year in addressing real community needs while enjoying genuine collegiality."

This year’s CCFD theme -- U & I: Caring and Sharing in 2000 -- underscores the value of each individual’s contribution, just as it highlights the importance of the UI’s good citizenship in Champaign County. As we share our resources with the agencies best equipped to help our neighbors, we also share the heartwarming experience of community. Please give careful consideration to supporting one or more of these agencies with a gift to the Campus Charitable Fund Drive.