County Executive Tom Gordon led the kick-off of New Castle County’s United Way fundraising campaign for 2014, in conjunction with the AFL-CIO, Thursday morning in the New Castle County Government Center.
Joining the County Executive was AFL-CIO Community Services Executive Director Tom Callahan, based in Newark.
The United Way of America along with the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) have worked through state and local United Ways to provide services to members of organized labor, their families and their communities since 1946. To keep services going, the United Way and the AFL-CIO solicit contributions from workers through payroll deductions, which account for approximately two-thirds of the funds that United Way raises each year.
“With all the problems with unemployment, all the homeless, and all the needy people, there’s probably never been a more important time in life to try to reach into your pocket and help out,” County Executive Gordon said.
Chief Administrative Officer David Grimaldi directed Executive Assistant Steve Burg to chair this year’s United Way fundraising drive. Burg in turn enlisted the aid of Confidential Assistant Stephanie Rizzo, who works with him in the Office of Community Governing.
Burg, Rizzo, and Executive Assistant Jillian Thomas distributed United Way of Delaware pledge forms after Thursday’s brief ceremony. County employees must return the forms by Feb. 20 if they elect to participate.
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