For immediate release: April 12, 2006
GALVESTON, Texas — State government employees in Galveston broke new records for generosity, as results of the 2005 State Employee Charitable Campaign were released.
State employees in Galveston Island raised $733,785 in 2005. That’s an 8.8 percent jump from 2004.
Employees of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston raised $706,565 in 2005, up 8.6 percent from the previous year. UTMB employees gave the most of any Texas higher education agency.
Overall, Galveston Island ranked No. 4 among the 21 state regions that contributed to the SECC campaign. That’s an improvement from Galveston’s No. 5 regional ranking the year before. In 2005, the only other regions that topped Galveston were Austin, Dallas and Houston.
The Galveston Island campaign region of the SECC includes local employees from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Galveston College, Texas A&M University in Galveston, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Department of Health and Human Services and UTMB. All of the seven state agencies either met or exceeded their individual fundraising goals.
State employees in Galveston sent more than half of their SECC contributions — 53 percent — to Galveston organizations. The SECC campaign received permission from the state Legislature to disburse the money several months early to meet the needs of people affected by hurricanes Rita and Katrina.
UTMB President and United Way of Galveston Past President John D. Stobo, M.D. spoke of his pride in the generous spirit of Galveston and UTMB. “I’m proud of how the Galveston and UTMB communities respond to the needs of our most vulnerable citizens,” said Stobo. “The generosity the UTMB family shows each year in the SECC campaign only serves to reinforce how inextricably linked UTMB is with the Galveston community.”
Pamela G. Watson, dean of the UTMB School of Nursing, was campaign chairwoman for UTMB employee fundraising. Casey Peterson, a director of clinic operations at UTMB, was the chairwoman for the Galveston Island campaign region of SECC.
The Galveston community’s participation in hurricane relief and evacuation efforts may have encouraged higher giving, Peterson said. “So many UTMB employees participated in relief efforts and understood the need,” she said. “This may have resulted in the increased pledges and donations.”
Here’s a list of the Galveston Island charities that received SECC funds from Galveston state employees: United Way of Galveston, AIDS Coalition of Coastal Texas, Alcohol Drug Abuse Women’s Center, American Red Cross, Bay Area Council Boy Scouts of America, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, Family Service Center of Galveston County, Galveston County YMCA, Girl Scouts of South Texas Council, Gulf Coast Big Brothers Big Sisters, NAMI Gulf Coast, Resource & Crisis Center of Galveston County, Salvation Army of Galveston County, St. Vincent’s House, Sunshine Center, Teen Health Center, Advocacy Center for Children of Galveston County, Animal Shelter & Adoption Center of Galveston, The Children’s Center, Galveston College Foundation, Galveston Independent School District Educational Foundation, The Jesse Tree and Ronald McDonald House of Galveston County.
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
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