The Dartmouth community’s 2017 United Way giving campaign successfully raised over $294,000 for this year. Donations are still coming in as the United Way’s fiscal year comes to a close at the end of this month.

“I’m incredibly happy with what Dartmouth accomplished in this year’s campaign,” says Katie Kobe of the Granite United Way.

Dartmouth’s annual campaign is consistently the largest United Way giving campaign in the Upper Valley. Funds raised go directly to fund vital services of local nonprofits like COVER Home Repair, David’s House, Dismas of Vermont, and WISE. In the past year alone, donations to the United Way provided childcare for 1,396 infants and young children, empowered 1,337 adults through financial literacy programs, and gave 8,005 people access to substance-abuse treatment and recovery programs.

This year’s campaign was about more than monetary gifts. It also highlighted the impact and importance of volunteering for local organizations that make a difference throughout the Upper Valley. Dartmouth community members who volunteer for United Way-affiliated organizations shared their stories throughout the campaign, and offices around campus organized group-volunteer days—some for the first time.

Nicole Losavio, assistant director of class activities in Alumni Relations, volunteered with six colleagues to set up for the annual gingerbread festival at The Family Place, a parent-child center in Norwich, Vt., that provides community-based support services for families with young children. “I love being part of a community that gives back,” she says. “Having grown up in a family that put a heavy emphasis on giving back to our community, it was a nice way to get involved in a community that still feels fairly new to me.”

Influenced by the campaign’s emphasis on volunteering, more than twice as many employees requested time off under the College’s volunteer policy in the second half of 2017 than in the first half, says Courtney Rotchford, wellness program manager and a member of the Dartmouth United Way campaign steering committee.

Lauren Reynolds, an assistant director of communities in Alumni Relations, joined her colleagues in preparing and serving a meal at David’s House during this year’s campaign. “The Upper Valley is a small community that takes care of one another,” she says. “From Cover to WISE to David’s House—there are so many wonderful organizations working together to take care of our residents. It’s so important and I really love the people here that prioritize community.”

The United Way steering committee wants to hear your thoughts on workplace philanthropy and volunteerism. Please take a few minutes to share your opinions about this year’s campaign in this anonymous online survey by March 23.

Rebekah Henson can be reached at rebekah.henson@dartmouth.edu.