Rice raises record amount for United Way

For 100 years, Rice has been making positive contributions to the city of Houston, and the university has done it once again by raising a record-breaking $192,081 for United Way of Greater Houston.

“No great city would be great without a safety net to help all of its citizens,” said Jim Crownover ’65, Rice Board of Trustees chair. “This is a smart way to spend a dollar for the community, and I am so proud of what Rice has done over the last several years.”

For the fifth year in a row, Rice bested its previous year’s contribution to the organization that helps Houstonians in need of food, clothing, shelter and other services. President David Leebron toasted the generous spirit of Rice University at a celebration and check presentation ceremony in the Founder’s Room March 1.

“When it comes to supporting our community, we are not, as the phrase goes, an institution that is content to sit behind the hedges,” he said. “Our people go out, and they make a difference. And they make a difference with their philanthropic dollars.”

Crownover noted that Rice’s consistent growth in contributions has put the university among the top 100 contributors to Houston’s United Way. “What’s amazing about that is most of the other names are for-profit places,” he said. “It says a lot about Rice. We understand that if our community is not successful, we cannot be successful at Rice.”

Anna Babin, president of the United Way of Greater Houston, thanked Rice for its generosity and emphasized the university’s role in investing in the community through the United Way and its initiatives, such as the Bright Beginnings early childhood education program and services like the Texas/United Way Helpline.

“Last year 922,000 calls were handled by out 211 Texas/United Way Helpline, calls of all shapes and sizes made by people in need,” she said. “They were answered because you cared about this community.”

Leebron noted that the record-breaking success would not have been possible without Crownover’s generosity in the campaign. Once again, Crownover offered $25,000 to match gifts from first-time donors 2-to-1 and matched dollar for dollar any gifts from faculty and staff who donated to last year’s campaign but had not contributed to this year’s campaign. His offer inspired more than 80 members of the Rice community to contribute.

Crownover was among 63 lead donors — those who contributed $1,000 or more — in this year’s campaign. Together they raised 66 percent of the total amount.

University Representative Y. Ping Sun, lead donor chair for Rice’s campaign, thanked the lead donors and all others who contributed for their generosity toward an organization that can put the money to effective use and serve the community.

“In the last 100 years, Rice grew together with the city of Houston, and we helped the city, and so by contributing generously to the United Way campaign, you, in a way, have helped our city again,” she said.

The $192,081 raised this year was more than 28 percent over the $150,000 campaign goal and reflects a university participation rate of 30 percent. The total number of donors was 822, up from last year’s 815.

Among the 19 divisions on campus, the Natural Sciences division had the highest total contributions — $20,141 — as well as the highest number of lead donors — 10. Public Affairs had the highest participation rate — 94 percent — and the Administration division had the highest number of donors — 339. Finance had the most-improved participation rate, 74 percent compared with last year’s 33 percent.

“The success of this year’s campaign is a real testament to the fact that we care so much about the community that does so much for us,” said Linda Thrane, vice president for the Office of Public Affairs, which led and organized the annual campaign.

President David Leebron was an honorary chair of the campaign. Sidney Burrus, the Maxfield and Oshman Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering, chaired the faculty campaign. Mark Ditman, associate vice president for housing and dining, chaired the staff campaign. David Medina, director of minority community relations in the Office of Public Affairs, was the campaign manager.