UAF United Way workplace campaign

The UAF United Way Workplace Campaign has begun! United Way of the Tanana Valley and its 17 partner agencies have served our community for 66 years! For nearly 50 years the University of Alaska Fairbanks has held a campaign to support the incredible local organizations who bring vital services to the Golden Heart Community. Please consider supporting the nonprofits who contribute so much to UAF students, faculty and staff.

This year our goal is $40,000. This seems like a lofty goal, but it isn’t when you consider how United Way helped UAF right at the beginning of COVID. United Way gave $25,000 to the university to help displaced students with unexpected expenses as they left their dorms and moved to online classes for the spring semester because of the pandemic. Amazing!

The theme of this year's campaign is “Be the Bridge.” Sometimes people just need a hand up to cross that bridge from an unstable home to a safe one, or from alcohol misuse to freedom, or from loneliness to friendship and the list goes on. United Way of the Tanana Valley supports 17 partner agencies through the Community Care Fund. These agencies help our friends and neighbors when times get tough.

The beloved United Way Chili Cook Off will be held this year in the Wood Center on Thursday, Dec. 1, from noon to 2 p.m. The University Fire Department is already touting their prize-winning chili, and I believe they have a secret ingredient this year to kick their chili off the charts! Sign up your chili and take part in this festive occasion to support the United Way and its partner agencies.

The Chancellor’s Holiday Gathering will be held Dec. 6, and everyone who gives to the United Way will be entered into a drawing for awesome prizes! This year we will have two round trip tickets on Alaska Airlines, membership to SRC for a semester, concert tickets, and more! Please “Be the Bridge,” and consider giving a gift to United Way of the Tanana Valley to support those in our community who could use a hand up.