• Tweet
• Share
• Email
• Print

MILWAUKEE - In a time when more and more people are losing their jobs, less and less are giving to charity.  That's not stopping the United Way from kicking off this year's 100th anniversary campaign with a very big goal.  The group is trying to raise $45 million in southeast Wisconsin.

It's a big goal.  During a bad time.  But the organization is confident they will succeed.

"The theme of this year's campaign is take a look at what you have, be grateful for the job you have, the family and the support you have, and reach to give a little more to the people around you that are in need of the help from their neighbors," said campaign co-chair Betsy Brenner.

With company layoffs and job losses making headlines across the country, it's hard to convince people to give right now.  But the campaign points out, now is more important than ever because you never know when it's going to be you that needs the help.

CLICK HERE to donate to the United Way.

Case-in-point, the workers at the Patrick Cudahy Plant.  "In our tragic situation we had 14 hundred people out of work for a couple of weeks and the United Way rallied around that, through the Hunger Task Force and really helped feed those families in need," said Patrick Cudahy President Bill Otis.

The United Way donated $25,000 to help the workers that lost their jobs to get back on their feet.  And that's why organizers say the need is great and the goal is possible.

"You can give a dollar, you can give a hundred thousand dollars, everything counts and everything goes to show that United Way helps everyone throughout our community," Brenner said.

To help get things started this year, five funding partners with the United Way announced a $500,000 contribution honoring Jane Bradley Pettit for her years of giving back to the community.  Those partners are The David and Julia Uihlein Charitable Foundation, The Brico Fund, The Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation, The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and the Allen-Bradley Company/Rockwell Automation.  Each contributed a significant gift to commemorate Bradley Pettit's legacy.