‘Tis the season for charitable giving.
The University of Denver’s annual charitable giving campaign began Nov. 1. This year’s theme is “DUing Something for the Public Good.”
Last year, the DU community donated more than $74,300 to charities across Colorado. Chancellor Robert Coombe wrote in a letter to faculty and staff that he hopes to increase the number of participants by 10 percent this year.
Participants can choose to participate by giving a lump sum or pledging to donate a set amount per paycheck. The campaign partners DU with the Mile High United Way and Partnership for Colorado, and donations can be specifically allocated to any of 300-plus local organizations. Packets distributed to DU faculty and staff members included a nonprofit directory, which has information on all the organizations.
For the first year, the DU Graduate School of Social Work Bridge Project is one of those organizations. The Bridge Project, which provides educational opportunities to children living in Denver public housing, currently serves 600 at-risk youths, ages 5–15.
“We hope that because we are here on campus, people will recognize the importance of education and give to this cause,” says Lynne Wilky, director of development for the Bridge Project. The Bridge Project is a very unique partnership between a direct services program and a university, Wilky says.
Being a part of the giving campaign is helping to create “a little more awareness that we are here,” Wilky says of the project’s involvement. “Still, giving to the United Way campaign in any capacity is fantastic,” she says.
Pledge forms are due to the payroll office by Nov. 19.