Dear friends and colleagues,
Dear Members of the Vassar Community,
On behalf of my fellow committee members, I am pleased to announce the start of this year’s Community Works Campaign, and to ask for your support.
Since 2001, the individuals who work, teach, and study at Vassar have pooled their generosity to create a fund which addresses the needs of the broader Hudson Valley community. Community Works distributes the donations to a small number of local agencies and programs that shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, give young people hope and opportunity, and otherwise care for those who need it most. These organizations are carefully chosen both for the good and innovative work that they do, and also for compatibility with the principle of non-discrimination.
We are fortunate that in the Hudson Valley there are many organizations that do amazing work with only limited funds. Community Works accepts nominations for recipient organizations from anyone in the Vassar community. This year we received dozens of nominations, and with great difficulty narrowed this down to eleven agencies*, each of which will get an equal share of the money we raise. These organizations do critical work in the community, and many of them, in turn, support Vassar’s educational mission by providing internships and field work opportunities.
Even a modest contribution to Community Works helps to support the good work of these organizations. As individuals, our time, energy, and money are limited. Together, we are able to provide meaningful sustenance to these organizations that make a real difference in the lives of the people they serve.
You can make your tax-deductible donation via payroll deduction, credit card, or check. As always, Vassar absorbs all administrative costs, meaning that 100 percent of your donation will go directly to supporting these local agencies.
Non-profits remain under a great strain, with government funding reduced or eliminated, and other funding sources drying up as well. This is a time when our help can make a critical difference to people in need.
On behalf of the sponsored agencies and the Community Works Campaign committee, I thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Nicholas de Leeuw
Director, Community Works Campaign for 2012