2020 Combined Fund Drive wrap-up
This wraps up the series of articles highlighting the 2020 Combined Fund Drive and the charity categories. As with everything else, COVID restrictions forced adjustments to campaign plans and practices with expectations of significant reductions relative to prior campaigns. Going from 150 fundraiser and goods drive events in 2019 to just 41 in 2020 was a significant reduction. The statewide, enterprise events like the calendar sale and the online Basket of Hope auction provided an opportunity for all DSHS employees to give.
Even though we dropped a little from 2019 results, pledges and fundraiser cash exceeded $440,000, which is 96% of our 2019 numbers. And with the added emphasis on online pledges, the annualized dollar amount of pledges exceeded that of 2019!
We wanted to offer a BIG THANK YOU to all of the employees who overcame the obstacles and connected with more than a thousand different charities in making this campaign a success.
Campaign leaders in each administration and their 200 local coordinators covered 130 office locations throughout the state. They also made sure to include co-located administrations and other agencies in their CFD events and activities. A recent Thurston County CFD Committee virtual ceremony highlighted OOS virtual chili cook-off, and awarded the Facility, Finance and Analytics Administrations’s Sherry DeRossett and Molli Ragsdale as Outstanding Team. The Snohomish — King County CFD Committee recognized King County DDA for their online cook book/recipe competition, and awarded DDA’s Cherry Street Seattle office as Outstanding Team for the annual LGBTQ+ auction. A statewide awards and virtual ceremony will be coming soon.
Further, the support and assistance from staff in the DSHS cash unit, mail room, communications, Human Resources, and the TSD/ET technology support (for keeping us all connected) was outstanding. Their ‘behind the scenes’ services are critical each year for running an effective and efficient campaign.
And last, but by no means least, we wanted to thank executive leadership. The support the campaign receives from Secretary Cheryl Strange and her leadership team is critical in setting the stage for a successful campaign. Looking back on 2020, it was definitely a time of Giving For Good In Our Neighborhoods! Thank you!