United Way Announces Record Fundraising Year

unitedwayswm-11
unitedwayswm-11

The United Way of Southwest Michigan is marking a record fundraising year. At its annual celebration at Lake Michigan College Thursday, the organization announced it raised more than $4.2 million with its 2018 campaign. United Way of Southwest Michigan President Anna Murphy tells WSJM News the region cares.

“One of the things we say often is there is a huge spirit of generosity in our communities, and the partners that we have with our local corporations that want to be part of the community, that want to give back to the community really make it very easy to do this,” Murphy said.

Murphy says the United Way of Southwest Michigan supports more than 50 local organizations that work in the community. The donations from corporate partners, non-profits, and individuals make it all possible. At Thursday’s celebration, the United Way also handed out its annual awards to partners.

The organizations and individuals who helped make the 2018 campaign a success were recognized with the following awards:

Best Campaign Growth Awards

City of Niles

Spectrum Health Lakeland

Tyler Automotive

United Federal Credit Union

Watervliet Public Schools

Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare Network

 

Best Community Leadership Awards

Berrien County Cancer Service, Inc.

Gast Manufacturing, Inc.

Kinexus

Plante Moran

St. Joseph Public Schools

Wolverine Pipe Line Co.

 

Best Year-Round Partnership Awards

Berrien Regional Education Service Agency (RESA)

Competitive Edge

1st Source Bank

Lake Michigan College

LOGAN Autism Learning Center

Pri Mar Petroleum, Inc.

 

Corporate Champion of the Year – Large Business

Meijer

 

Corporate Champion of the Year – Medium Business

United Parcel Service

 

Corporate Champion of the Year – Small Business

Lindberg/MPH

 

Employee Campaign Chair of the Year – Large Business

Jeff Blake – United Federal Credit Union

Dalry Payne – Andrews University

 

Employee Campaign Chair of the Year – Medium Business

Nia Ammeson & Ivan Price – Martin’s Super Market, Stevensville

 

Employee Campaign Chair of the Year – Small Business

Lorraine Day – Mid-West Family Broadcasting

 

Inspired Giving Award

Martin’s Super Markets

 

Campaign Cabinet Choice Awards

Harbor Graphics Corporation

K&M Machine-Fabricating, Inc.

Niles Precision Company, Inc.

 

David J. Weichhand Award

Honor Credit Union

 

Whirlpool Community Commitment Award

Whirlpool Corporation

 

Impact Cabinet Choice Award

Lewis Cass Intermediate School District

 

Excellence in Innovation Award

The LINK – Kinexus

 

Excellence in Impact Award

Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management Department

 

Excellence in Collaboration Awards

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Michigan 2-1-1

 

LIVE UNITED Awards

Indiana Michigan Power Company, an AEP Company

Andy Janson 2017-2018 Board Chair