United Way of Delaware County Joins the Global #GivingTuesday Movement

Photo provided.Photo provided.

By: Shelley Shekell—

Pledges to Help Children Expand Their Personal Libraries, with a 1-to-1 Match from MutualBank Charitable Foundation

 MUNCIE, In— United Way of Delaware County has joined #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities, and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide.

Locally, United Way’s #GivingTuesday campaign is focused on improving literacy in the community by helping children build their personal library of books. Many children do not have access to the materials they need to improve their reading proficiency. This is Delaware County’s opportunity to make this difference, ultimately transforming children’s lives and futures. MutualBank Charitable Foundation will match up to $5,000 of any donations pledged on this highly impactful day.

Occurring this year on November 29, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This will kick off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.

When people give to United Way of Delaware County, they know their gift will improve many lives, right here in the community. Pledging to donate for #GivingTuesday allows individuals to double their gift’s impact, as MutualBank Charitable Foundation has been gracious enough to provide a 1-to-1 match on donations up to $5,000.

United Way asks you to transform lives by helping the organization reach this $5,000 #GivingTuesday goal. See how your contribution can make a difference in a child’s life:

  • $25: Helps a child build a personal library
  • $50: Gives school children exposure to college campuses through Reading Club field trips
  • $100: Provides a stop gap for a working family’s child care costs
  • $250: Provides out-of-school enrichment and prevents summer learning loss
  • $500: Prevents chronic absenteeism by increasing access to health care through Open Door Health Service’s Mobile Unit

Jenni Marsh, President and CEO of United Way of Delaware County, is excited for this opportunity to raise awareness and resources for literacy in our community.

“Reading at or above grade level by the end of a child’s third grade year is the single greatest predictor of the child’s success in school and in life,” explains Marsh. “Through this movement, gifts to United Way can help remove barriers to children’s success and put them on a pathway out of poverty. Twenty-five dollars can increase a child’s access to books in their home—which directly impacts their ability to read at school.”—Jenni Marsh

Those who are interested in joining United Way of Delaware County’s #GivingTuesday literacy initiative can visit InvitedToLiveUnited.org/give. For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit GivingTuesday.org, or follow the #GivingTuesday hashtag on social media.

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About United Way of Delaware County

United Way of Delaware County, Indiana engages the community to improve lives by focusing resources on health, education, and financial stability. It also works to create lasting change in community conditions. As the sponsoring organization for the community’s Campaign for Grade Level Reading, United Way is working to help children read at or above grade level by the end of their third grade year. It is during this pivotal point that children transition from learning how to read, into readers who learn from what they have read. United Way is partnering with schools to help at-risk readers meet this important benchmark. United Way has convened a coalition to identify gaps in services that are preventing children’s success with reading. Together, the coalition is finding ways to bridge those gaps and keep our community’s children on target for success in school and in life. Learn more at InvitedToLiveUnited.org. 

About #GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday is a movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give—the 2016 iteration will be held on November 29, 2016. This effort harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners—nonprofits, businesses, and corporations, as well as families and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in the giving season. #GivingTuesday inspires people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they celebrate, and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday harnesses the power of social media to create a global movement dedicated to giving around the world.