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Leveraging the United Way: Raise money to fight Duchenne

The annual, Fall United Way campaigns are getting underway throughout the country. Last year many families had great success leveraging both the annual United Way campaign and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) to raise money to fight Duchenne. Many people have a tradition of donating to the United Way, are expecting their company campaigns to start, and are looking for good causes to earmark their donations.

Accordingly, we have updated the PPMD United Way/CFC Fundraising Campaigns guide (PDF) which provides information on how local United Way operate and how to work to arrange funding through them. The guide also provides information your friends and family will need to designate their United Way/CFC donations to fight Duchenne.

In addition, we wanted to remind you of PPMD's United Way Coordinator, Ruth Getler. Ruth can help parents, family, and friends by answering United Way related questions, helping parents communicate with their company's United Way campaign staff, sharing promotional signage and email templates, and help you liaison with local/regional United Way offices. After reading the guide, Ruth can be reached by emailing UnitedWaySupport@ParentProjectMD.org.

Download and print this useful Fundraising Campaigns guide (PDF) to help you navigate the United Way.

Your active involvement in the United Way framework is another major component in funding Duchenne research.

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Comment by John Smith on September 8, 2011 at 12:00pm: Michael,

Great question!

For people who are already donating to PPMD, direct donations such as STIR or writing a check directly to PPMD is the most effective means.   Direct donations to PPMD are not subject to United Way overhead deductions which range typically between 14-18%. 100% of any direct donation amount (less any credit card fees) are realized by PPMD.

The United Way is especially effective at recruiting good-hearted donors in a corporate friendly, payroll friendly, methodical way. Instead of having multiple, independent fund-raisers throughout the year, companies and organizations particpate in a United Way campaign and ask their members to support United Way causes.   Many employees are already giving to general causes or expect to be asked to support a cause during the annual United Way campagn.

The annual, PPMD opportunity is to educate/motivate people who are not already donating directly to PPMD to both participate in the United Way AND earmark their donations to PPMD. Again, many people are already expecting to donate via the United Way and just need to know how to indicate the money should go to PPMD.

For example, my family threw a pancake breakfast at my workplace cafe during the 2010 United Way campaign (cost $150). We raised over $11,000 for PPMD via the Untied Way in one morning.   It was so easy, popular, and effective we are having our second annual PPMD pancake breakfast on Wednesday, 14 Sep 2011.

Another added benefit of the United Way is if people don't change their donation elections they typically auto-renew year after year.

Comment by Michael Lazarus on September 8, 2011 at 10:41am: Is there a reason to donate via the United Way? Does that help push other United Way money towards PPMD? Wouldn't it be better to donate the same amount directly to PPMD, rather than going through United Way? I want my donation to do the most good!