Local Companies Help Boost Giving to United Way

General Mills, 3M and Target and their employees raised more than $5 million each for the Greater Twin Cities United Way's latest annual campaign, the agency reported. The campaign received a total of $83 million in cash and pledges, which is about $1 million more than last year's campaign and marks the first campaign increase since the United Way agencies in Minneapolis and St. Paul merged three years ago.

Ten other Minnesota companies raised at least $1 million each for the campaign: American Express Financial Advisors, Best Buy Co., Cargill, Medtronic, SUPERVALU, U.S. Bank, Piper Jaffray, Wells Fargo Minnesota, Northwest Airlines and Xcel Energy.

In addition to campaign revenue, the United Way says it received about $6 million worth of corporate grants, donated goods and volunteer time. “We’re overwhelmed by the generosity and trust of our donors, companies and other organizations in allowing United Way to invest their time and money," said Al Stroucken, 2003 campaign chairman and CEO of HB Fuller.  “They know their dollars are going to address the community’s most pressing needs.”

United Way’s Caring Connection, a group volunteer program, experienced a 120 percent increase in the number of volunteers participating, the agency reported, sending just over 15,000 volunteers into the community last year.  Thanks to the sponsorship of Target Corporation, Caring Connection operated throughout the year in 2003, making possible projects ranging from building a playground for St. David’s Child Development and Family Services to collecting a truckload of donated winter clothing from people attending the Winter Carnival’s Ice Palace.  More than 10,000 other people volunteered their time for activities such as their company’s United Way campaign or review committees to help determine how United Way contributions would be best spent.  

The fastest-growing segment of the campaign was a 23 percent increase, to $4 million, for special events, many of them held as company fundraisers. An example was Malt-O-Meal selling 20,000 cereal bags for $1 apiece and donating $2 for each bag sold.

The Minneapolis and St. Paul United Ways reported raising a combined $85 million in their last annual campaigns as separate organizations. That figure dropped to $84 million in the first year of the new organization and $82 million last year.

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