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The 2021-22 Pitt United Way Campaign is officially over, and the University community once again dug deep to support neighbors in need.

This year, 1,898 Pitt faculty, staff and retirees donated $702,602 in total, with an average gift of $339 on the Pittsburgh campus — a record for the University.

“Participation in the United Way workplace campaign aligns with Pitt’s mission as a public university, with community service and engagement central to our purpose. The campaign brings staff and faculty together to aid local organizations and community members, making meaningful, lasting differences in the communities we serve,” said Dave DeJong, senior vice chancellor for business and operations and chair of next year’s campaign.

The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania plays a critical role in connecting people to the resources they need most. The funds raised by Pitt people support United Way-sponsored programs and services, including their 211 call center and outreach to domestic violence survivors and intellectually disabled adults.

And Pitt’s contribution to the United Way was more than monetary.

“A great perk of a Workplace Giving Campaign is how it connects participants to ways they can serve the community. Through inspiring talks from United Way’s team and participating in Workplace Giving Campaign activities, employees’ eyes are opened not only to the issues happening right in their neighborhoods but to the ways they can help remediate these challenges by volunteering,” said Kate McGlynn, associate director of administration and special projects in the Division of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement.

Here are a few ways in the past year Pitt contributed their time and talents to the organization:

• Faculty and students from the University volunteered time in the for low-income people and completed 291 tax returns.
• , associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, contributed to the United for Children’s Equity Evaluation.
• , an IT consultant, served on the Be STEMtacular Advisory Committee.

Next year’s campaign officially kicks off on Oct. 3, 2022. “In the coming year, we will share new ideas, tools and resources to support the campaign, joining together to show our collective impact,” DeJong said.

Giving on the Pittsburgh campus, by the numbers     

• $682,211 raised in total
• $590,763 pledged by faculty and staff
• $75,609 pledged by retirees
• 363 hours of vacation time donated
• 320 new donors

— Nichole Faina