Crownover offers to match gifts from first-time donors to United Way this month
Board chair is proud of Rice reaching its $130,000 goal

FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS

Rice Board of Trustees Chair Jim Crownover ’65 is so proud of the university already reaching its $130,000 goal for the United Way Campaign that he is offering to match gifts from first-time donors during the month of December in hope of driving the contribution total even higher.

“As the chairman of the Rice Board of Trustees, I am particularly thankful — and extremely proud — that I have the honor of leading an organization whose employees have such compassion for those less fortunate, and who take the initiative to do something about it by contributing to the United Way,” Crownover said in a letter to faculty and staff this week.

He noted that this year a record number of Rice employees — 355 — made donations to United Way for the first time. To encourage more Rice employees to follow that example, Crownover will match, dollar for dollar, the pledges that first-time campaign donors make during the month of December — up to a total of $25,000.

The campaign reached its initial $130,000 goal just before Thanksgiving, with the help of a lead donation from Baker Institute founding director Edward Djerejian and Francoise Djerejian.  Since the announcement of the challenge match on Dec. 1, Rice has received more than $3,200 in new-donor contributions that will be matched.

“If you know of any Rice colleagues who have never before contributed to Rice’s United Way Campaign, please encourage them to do so, and mention to them that if they pledge in December, I will match their contributions to double their impact,” Crownover said.

As of Dec. 2, donations to Rice’s 2010-11 United Way Campaign totaled just over $146,749. The campaign officially ends Jan. 18.

To make a pledge via automatic payroll deductions throughout 2011, or to contribute by cash, check or credit card in the 2010 tax year, visit www.rice.edu/unitedway.