Cornell United Way Campaign kicks off today on Ho Plaza

Cornellians Elizabeth Teskey, left, from the Law Library, and Pam Setaro, from the School of Continuing Education, weed the gardens at the Ithaca Community Childcare Center during the fifth annual United Way Day of Caring Sept. 21. Twenty-five Cornell staff volunteers joined 25 other volunteers from area businesses during the day, painting, scraping, organizing, cleaning and raking at area social service agencies. Charles Harrington/University Photography

This fall's Cornell United Way Campaign is starting at a time when the community needs our support more than at any point in recent history, says LeNorman Strong, chair of the Cornell United Way Campaign again this year. "In helping members of our community cope with the aftermath of the recent tragedies in New York and Washington, our local human service agencies are working more and harder than ever but, at the same time, are financially stretched much more than they have been in years," said Strong. "With fewer state and federal dollars, agencies in our community are depending upon our support more than ever before."

To launch this year's campaign, the Cornell community is invited to Cornell's United Way Kick-Off, scheduled for today on Ho Plaza in front of Willard Straight Hall from noon to 1 p.m. Highlights of the event will include the opportunity to learn more about local human service agencies at the community agency fair on the plaza, free pizza and refreshments from Cornell Catering and a chance to win a variety of door prizes. United Way Day of Caring volunteers, who will be recognized at the event, are encouraged to wear their Day of Caring T-shirts for the event. Photographs of the volunteers' day of work in the community Sept. 21 also will be on display.

Cornell staff and faculty can expect to receive their pledge cards for United Way donations by the end of this month.