UNITED WAY OF CAYUGA COUNTY SURPASSES 2024-25 CAMPAIGN GOALS
Donor and Dollar Totals Announced at Campaign Celebration & Community Movie Night
Auburn, New York, April 2, 2025 – The United Way of Cayuga County brought together 60 community members for their Campaign Celebration & Community Movie Night at Auburn Public Theater to share the success of the 2024-25 Campaign and recognized individuals and organizations who went above and beyond to support their neighbors. County South Campaign Chair, Christine Bickal of Union Springs, shared that the United Way welcomed 240 new donors. A total of 1,562 gifts supported the drive, raising $642,200 in pledges and donations—surpassing last year’s total by more than 2%.
The program was opened by Executive Director, Kathryn Dennis, who shared that the United Way’s annual drive is the largest countywide giving effort in Cayuga County. Dennis emphasized that the success of this year’s drive was made possible by engaging with community members throughout all regions of Cayuga County.
County North Co-Chairs, Joanna Bilinski of Weedsport and Gennie Bartholomew of Conquest highlighted the expanded efforts to host events and programs across all of Cayuga County from Doug’s To-Go Fish Frys in Weedsport to Fe-BREW-ary at Aurora Brewing. Bilinski shared that United Way “gifts are divided into four categories, Corporate Gifts, Foundations & Trusts, Community Gifts, and Employee Gifts. This campaign, Community Giving has seen the most growth with a 15% increase in donors.
County Central Co-Chairs, Brian and Mandi Jessie of Auburn hosted the awards ceremony. Workplace giving consists of employee gifts and corporate contributions from 54 local workplaces. Combined, these gifts account for 42% of the total dollars pledged. Verbal recognition was given to organizations who saw significant increase in employee participation—including Booker T. Washington Community Center who welcomed the most new donors this campaign season. The Jessies then announced the United Way’s formal awards:
- 100% Employee Participation: Cayuga Lake National Bank, Scouting America Longhouse Council, and The Jacobs Press
- 100% Corporate Match: Hammond & Irving, MacKenzie-Childs, and Nucor Steel
- 100% Employee Participation & Corporate Match: Midstate Mutual Insurance Company and Tompkins Community Bank
- Community Care Award: Cayuga Community College—this award recognizes an organization that goes above and beyond to support the United Way of Cayuga County during the campaign and year-round as well as being a community partner with fellow nonprofits.
- Trailblazer Award: Tracy Meyers of D&W Diesel—this award recognizes an Employee Campaign Coordinator who either establishes a new or returning campaign or reinvigorates an existing campaign.
After the awards ceremony, Bickal closed the formal program by announcing our totals with the help of volunteers who held up numbers. The evening concluded with a family-friendly movie shown in the cinema.
The United Way of Cayuga County is committed to improving lives in our community by advancing the common good and addressing the underlying causes of problems. The United Way is dedicated to community involvement and focused on creating long-lasting changes that will positively affect today, tomorrow and generations to come. Annually, the United Way conducts a campaign to raise dollars for Member Agency programs through all sectors of the community.
Learn more about the United Way of Cayuga County and become one of the first donors for the 2025-26 Campaign by visiting www.unitedwayofcayugacounty.org.