I participated in my first workplace United Way campaign in 1982. I was working about 20 hours a week at a savings and loan (remember those?) in Phoenix, Ariz., and spending the rest of my time with my infant son. We were struggling to make ends meet because my full time job had been eliminated unexpectedly while I was on maternity leave, so I was not very enthused about the call to give away some of my very scarce resources. Yes, United Way was a hard sell in this workplace as it was in so many others, so I signed up as a “fair share” donor.

Guess what? My resources were still scarce, but there was no notable difference in my circumstances due to the loss of that hour’s pay. I moved on, and back, to Indiana and continued to be a donor, gradually “stepping up” my contribution — first because I realized that my small gift didn’t really hurt my budget, so a slightly larger small gift was possible, then because my earnings increased with full time employment and job advancement.

The other thing I realized was that I could be a small part of the solution — for children, for families and for communities. I started paying attention to the world outside of my own walls. I started to LIVE UNITED. I am very thankful for that “hard sell.” It changed my life in so many positive ways.

This year, we have a “soft sell” for everyone in Madison County. We are offering an opportunity for folks to “step up” their contributions. It’s more important than ever to get those incremental increases because we can match every dollar of new donations through the 4community2 grant we received from the Indiana Association of United Ways. The opportunity, funded by Lilly Endowment, can bring in an additional $170,000 to our community — IF enough of us step up.

Besides the grant that matches any level of increase, we have devised a special challenge to encourage people to become engaged in giving. There are three levels of the Step-Up Challenge: Madison Way, Active Community Investor and Emerging Leader. All involve making a three-year commitment, but give recognition for the third year level this year.

Madison Way is a leadership recognition level established in 1989. Minimum annual household giving for Madison Way recognition is $1,000. Those taking the Step-Up Challenge make a minimum $350 gift this year, $650 in 2009 and $1,000 in 2010.  Madison Way members are recognized in our newsletter, on our Web site and in meeting publications.

A second level of leadership giving was established a few years ago and is identified as those giving between $500 and $999 per year. The Step-Up Challenge to Active Investor asks for a minimum $150 gift this year; $300 next and $500 in 2010.

Finally, we are making a special outreach to younger (40-) donors with the Emerging Leader giving designation. Beginning minimum donation is $50 and increments are $100 and $200, but this designation also asks for an initial engagement commitment by signing up for e-communications or on United Way’s facebook group, and in following years by participating in an event and then on a committee or by leading a volunteer team.

If you can’t step up to these levels, rest assured that your gift of any size matters. We have hundreds of legacy donors who faithfully mail in their $10, $25, $50 checks year after year and these gifts have long been the backbone of our campaign. If you can join the Step-Up Challenge, just call us at (765) 643-7493 and we’ll send you a form, or send your contribution with a note that indicates your Step Up intentions to United Way of Madison County, P. O. Box 1200, Anderson, IN 46015.  

Nancy Vaughan is president of United Way of Madison County Inc.