United Way of Central Alabama Kicks Off Campaign with $36.5 Million Goal

A successful Pacesetter campaign and Bruce Pearl helped to launch annual efforts

On September 1st, United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA) held its annual campaign kickoff, with a packed house of approximately 600 guests, to announce both the results of the Pacesetter Campaign and the goal of the Annual Campaign. The Pacesetter Campaign jumpstarts donations to the annual fall campaign and accounts for approximately one-third of donations overall. This year’s Pacesetter Campaign had a lofty goal of $10.5 million. Bill Connor, President and CEO of AmFirst Credit Union, served as Pacesetter Chair and led his team to go above and beyond, raising a total of $10,647,653.

The goal for the Annual Campaign is set at $36,500,000. Based on the historic generosity and community-spirit demonstrated over and over by individuals and businesses in Birmingham, UWCA is confident the goal will be met.

Bruce Pearl, Head Coach of Men’s Basketball at Auburn University and featured speaker at the campaign kickoff, delivered a powerful message the importance of service and giving. He said, “When we are looking to help and serve the least of us, whether it’s about mental health, basic food needs or the trauma and the tragedy of what’s happened to so many children, women, elderly, or poor, United Way is that bridge.”

Campaign Chair Emmett McLean, who is the Executive Vice President and COO of Medical Properties Trust, announced that Medical Properties Trust will commit up to $1 million in matching funds as a challenge and incentive to current Tocqueville Society members to increase their donations. (Members of the Tocqueville Society are UWCA donors who give $10,000 or more annually.)

Learn how you, too, can make a difference in countless lives throughout our community by supporting United Way of Central Alabama -> Give – United Way of Central Alabama (uwca.org)

UWCA expresses its sincere gratitude to the following Campaign Kickoff supporters:

 

Platinum Champion Sponsors

Alabama Power Foundation

Brasfield & Gorrie

Medical Properties Trust

Regions

 

Gold Partner Sponsors

AmFirst

Baker Donelson

Behavioral Health Systems

Drummond Company Inc.

Encompass Health

First Horizon

Ford Meter Box

Hibbett | City Gear

Luckie

Protective

Spire

Valley Banks

 

Friends of United Way Sponsors

Alabama Media Group

Alabama Power

Altec

American Red Cross – Mid Alabama Region

Arc of Central Alabama

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama

Cobbs Allen

Coca-Cola Bottling Company United

EBSCO Industries

Fairway Investments

Kamtek Inc.

Kinder Morgan

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc.

O’Neal Industries

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Robins & Morton

Salvation Army Birmingham Area Command

Specification Rubber Products

 

Supporting the campaign are the Loaned Executives listed below. They will spend the next 13 weeks making presentations to potential and current donors:

Jasmine Germany – Alabama Power Company

Kenny Keenan – Alabama Power Company

Kaylon Mikula – Alabama Power Company

Chad Quattlebaum – Alabama Power Company

James Williams – Alabama Power Company

Lisa Johnson – American Red Cross – Mid Alabama Region

Christina Powell – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama

Pam Foster – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama

Isabel Morgan – Brasfield & Gorrie

Michael Savela – Children’s of Alabama

Nancy Harbison – Drummond Company

Azeem Qadeer – Encompass Health Corporation

John O’Neal – O’Neal Industries

Asa Crawford – Protective Life

Chuck Self – Regions Financial Corporation

Charles McCalley – Regions Financial Corporation

Tammy Ridley – Regions Financial Corporation

Greg Smith – Regions Financial Corporation

Cody Blackman – Regions Financial Corporation

Latronda Riley  – Southern Company

John Scott Vowell  – Sponsored

Chris Williams – Sponsored

Garrett Summers – United Way of Central Alabama

Lindsey Sauder – United Way of Central Alabama

Victoria White – United Way of Central Alabama

 

Pacesetter Loaned Executives:

Cleo Crawford – Regions Financial Corporation

Lizzie French – United Way of Central Alabama