UW campaign captains undergo training

Last week, groups of Grand Valley faculty and staff members gathered in Allendale and Grand Rapids to learn more about United Way. They’re among the more than 100 captains leading the team effort of Grand Valley’s annual United Way campaign — a group lauded by campaign co-chair Jon Jellema.

“There seems to be a lot of excitement, energy and experience in this group,” Jellema said.

The captains are responsible for distributing campaign materials and answering questions in their own departments. Slightly less than half of Grand Valley employees typically give, and this year’s goal is to surpass that 50 percent mark. But the campaign chairs stressed that people should not feel coerced into giving. Another part of the goal is 100 percent participation, but that means that everybody is given the opportunity to give and returns a form — whether they give or not.

“Grand Valley has a long-standing tradition of giving back to the community, and you’ll see that our dollars make a huge difference,” said campaign co-chair Marlene Kowalski-Braun. “It is tied to our mission of educating students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies. I view this as our way that we model for students our investment in the community.”

Jellema noted that the projects funded by United Way are reviewed annually, and that Heart of West Michigan United Way has been given a four-star rating by Charity Navigator.

The captains heard from Fritz Crabb, director of literacy initiatives for Heart of West Michigan United Way. Crabb coordinates the FACTS program, which pairs adult volunteers with elementary school children for one-on-one tutoring in reading. That program is being highlighted this year as part of United Way’s focus on literacy programs.

“Our children cannot fail,” Crabb said. “It is unconscionable. I live a mile outside of the borders of Grand Rapids, and in Forest Hills 97 percent of students are meting the MEAP standards. In Grand Rapids, it’s only 68 percent.”

Grand Valley’s United Way campaign runs October 1-15. United Way impacts the community through the work of agencies that provide direct services to people. It also works to influence the community through supporting early childhood development and literacy.

Marlene Kowalski-Braun and Jon Jellema lead a training session for United Way campaign captains in Allendale / Photo by Bernadine Carey-Tucker