For over a decade, employees, staff and faculty have worked together to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to help the local community.
The Charitable Giving Campaign is Middle Tennessee State University's largest, most impactful community outreach each year.
"Being True Blue means also that we look for opportunities to lift up and benefit others. Through our annual Charitable Giving Campaign, the combined contributions of our employees have made an overwhelmingly positive difference in the lives of our neighbors and friends," said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee.
Led by a committee of faculty and staff volunteers, they help rally financial support for more than 140 organizations and charities, like community health charities, community shares and local United Way organizations.
"MTSU is firmly embedded in this community. Most of our employees and students call this area home. The University is proud to regularly offer the community educational, cultural, and athletic opportunities, but we understand that our fellow residents have all sorts of needs. Our Charitable Giving Campaign enables us to provide financial support for organizations that work to help people living here. We are proud to be able to help our fellow Middle Tennesseans," University Provost Mark Byrnes said.
The campaign is fueled largely by monthly payroll deductions from employees or one-time, lump-sum gifts.
"MTSU gives us an easy way to give back to try to solve some of the problems in our community," said Dr. Joyce Heames, Dean of MTSU's Jennings A. Jones College of Business.
This year, 670 people from the MTSU community helped raise over $158,000, setting a campaign record and surpassing the initial goal of $147,500.
"I participate in the Charitable Giving Campaign because I believe in giving back to my community. The campaign makes it easy," said Account Clerk, Deana Rankin.
"This year, I selected the MTSU Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center in memory of my dad, who was an Air Force veteran, and friends who have served. The Center's mission statement is admirable – to assist veterans and their families as they return to civilian life – and I am proud to contribute to their effort," Rankin explained.
The impact of MTSU's Charitable Giving Campaign can be felt no matter the donation size. A $60 donation to the American Red Cross helps a person learn CPR or other life-saving skills, $7 to St. Jude's Children's Hospital can provide a medical teaching doll to help explain a diagnosis to children, $3 per week provides two families with free admission to the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring for a year or $9 per week helps ACE Learning Center purchase a set of classroom tumble forms for children to learn positioning, fine motor activities, and neuro-and sensory developmental training.
"I give to the Ann Campbell Early Learning Center because education needs to start when kids are young. With all the technology these days, if a child isn't taught the basics at an early age, they might never catch up," Print Production Assistant, Rose Eylward said.
Last year's campaign raised a record $144,906 from more than 800 faculty and staff participants, surpassing the goal of $142,500.
The impact of MTSU's Charitable Giving Campaign can be felt no matter the donation size.
