The University launched the Give Where You Live partnership with United Way of Greater Charlottesville Wednesday, giving University employees the opportunity to donate to local nonprofits from their own paychecks.
The program is set to run through Dec. 18, and its start date coincided with United Way’s 35th annual Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring. Day of Caring is Greater Charlottesville’s largest single-day volunteer event, with thousands of volunteers coming together to complete various service projects at non-profits, schools and community organizations. Employees have until Dec. 18 to browse the participating nonprofits and decide how they want to give.
The United Way of Greater Charlottesville chapter was founded in 1943 as the Charlottesville and Albemarle War and Community Fund, originally created to raise money for World War II efforts. Today, the organization’s work is centered around three areas of focus — financial support and services, childcare and early education support and services and community involvement. Through the partnership with the University, employees are able to make a one-time debit or credit card payment or payroll deductions from their paychecks across all 26 pay periods of the year, beginning with their first paycheck of 2027.
Ravi Cooper, United Way of Greater Charlottesville CEO and president, said that the chapter’s partnership is built on the organization’s more than 80 years of experience managing workplace giving campaigns in a written statement to The Cavalier Daily. This partnership is set to connect more than 24,000 University employees to volunteer and give opportunities across the region, according to Cooper.
Employees are able to choose from around 100 local nonprofits to receive their donation. Receiver organizations span a range of causes in Central Virginia, from animal care to community health to food and homelessness nonprofits, according to a media release by the Office of University Communications. 100 percent of GWYL’s administrative costs are covered by the University, so all of the employee donations will go directly into the employees’ chosen nonprofits.
The program is co-chaired by four University officials — Kevin McDonald, vice president for community engagement and equal opportunity, Jennifer Wagner Davis, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Brie Gertler, interim executive vice president and provost, and Dr. Mitchell Rosner, CEO of U.Va. Health and executive vice president for health affairs.
“We are energized to offer an easy way for employees to give what they can to organizations they care about,” McDonald said in the press release. “The Give Where You Live program aligns with our commitment as a public institution to serve our community, and partnering with United Way on our fall giving campaign will mean that employee generosity will reach and support local causes.”
In a written statement to The Cavalier Daily, McDonald said early employee response to the campaign has been strong, evidenced by the registration numbers for Day of Caring ahead of the program’s official launch. He stated that the University’s goal for the campaign’s first year is maximizing participation rather than a specific donation value.
“It’s true that even a small gift can be a big help for the local nonprofits that make the Charlottesville region a great place to live and work,” McDonald said.
In the media release, Gertler spoke about how the campaign is seen as an extension of employees’ existing ties to Charlottesville.
“The Give Where You Live program is a powerful way for us to invest in a community that we call home, and allows employees to support the causes that mean the most to them,” Gertler said.
Rosner said in the release that the partnership with United Way is a way to expand on the service that U.Va. Health employees already give to the community.
“Service to our community has long been part of the culture of U.Va. Health,” Rosner said. “Through this year’s … employee campaign, we can build on that tradition by supporting United Way affiliated organizations that understand the needs of our communities and contribute every day to the health and well-being of the people who call this region home.”
GWYL is not United Way of Greater Charlottesville’s only local initiative this fall. The organization also leads Envision, which was launched in 2022 to help move 1,800 ALICE families — families who make above the federal poverty level but cannot afford basic household necessities — towards economic independence. United Way of Greater Charlottesville is also the lead organization for Ready Region Blue Ridge — a network that works towards coordinating early childhood care and education programs across Shenandoah Valley.
Employees with questions about the campaign can contact GiveWhereYouLive@unitedwaycville.org and (434) 459-0506. Academic and Medical Center employees can visit United Way's e-pledge site, which opened for pledges Wednesday, sign in with their NetBadge credentials and browse participating organizations.
Payroll deduction pledges can support up to four nonprofits, with a $5 minimum donation to each, according to the GWYL Campaign Page.
Vrinda Vashisht is a staff writer on the news desk. She is a second-year College student studying Neuroscience.
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