Coach Bruce Pearl just kicked off United Way’s $36.5M campaign—how you can get involved

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Auburn Basketball Head Coach Bruce Pearl joined the United Way of Central Alabama yesterday, September 1, to kick off their annual campaign. Keep reading to see what’s in store for this year’s campaign and hear what the beloved coach had to say.

Big goals for this year (we’re talking $36.5M)

The 2022 Pacesetter Campaign set the tone and jump started this year’s campaign in a big way. With a goal of $10.5 million dollars, the Pacesetter Campaign, held during the summer, raised a total of $10,647,653. That short but impactful campaign was led by Bill Connor, President and CEO of AmFirst.

With a kickstart like that, we knew the goal for this year’s entire campaign is going to be big. Yesterday, Bruce Pearl joined the UWCA to confirm that. At the annual kickoff, they announced the goal of the 2022 campaign.

Drumroll please… $36,500,000. That’s right, the United Way of Central Alabama plans to raise over $36 MILLION this year for so many amazing programs and initiatives within our community.

Learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved.

Coach Pearl on the work of United Way

After the big announcement, we had the privilege of hearing from Bruce Pearl about his passion for giving and serving, as well as his gratitude for the work of United Way of Central Alabama.

“When we are looking to help and serve the least of us, whether its about mental health, basic food needs, or the trauma and the tragedy of what’s happened to so many children, women, elderly, or poor, United Way is that bridge.”

Bruce Pearl, Head Coach, Auburn Basketball

Coach Pearl even participated hands-on in some of the United Way’s work yesterday and helped make Meals on Wheels deliveries.

“It was more than just the delivery of these peoples’ lunch. They look forward to opening up their door and spending just a couple of minutes with somebody. I was able to see the gratitude in their face and in their eyes and in the way they were able to accept what was being done for them. That’s what community is.”

Bruce Pearl, Head Coach, Auburn Basketball

Medical Properties Trust committed $1M

Lead campaign volunteer is Emmett McLean, Executive Vice President and COO, Medical Properties Trust who said his team will make some bold asks. “If we only ask for what we raised last year we will end up cutting needed services,” said McClean.

McLean announced that Medical Properties Trust, a Birmingham based leader in hospital finance, has committed up to $1 million as a challenge grant to current Tocqueville Society members ($10,000 and above donors) to increase giving to United Way of Central Alabama’s annual campaign.

“Losing is not an option” for the 2022 campaign

Bruce Pearl and the leaders of United Way had no doubts when it came to reaching the campaign goal this year. According to Bruce, “losing is not an option” as he had so much hope in what the UWCA will achieve throughout this campaign.

He ended his speech inspiring all of us to give and serve our communities, starting the campaign off with a $10,000 personal donation, which left the audience on a very excited note. There wasn’t a person in the house sitting down when Coach Pearl finished.

2022 sponsors

Over 450 supporters attended the 99th kickoff for United Way thanks to the following sponsors:

Platinum Champion Sponsors

• Alabama Power Foundation
• Brasfield & Gorrie
• Medical Properties Trust
• Regions

Gold Partner Sponsors

• AmFirst
• Baker Donelson
• Behavioral Health Systems
• Drummond Company Inc. 
• Encompass Health 
• First Horizon
• Ford Meter Box
• Hibbett | City Gear
• Luckie
• Protective 
• Spire
• Valley Banks

Friends of United Way Sponsors

• Alabama Media Group  
• Alabama Power
• Altec    
• American Red Cross – Mid Alabama Region
• Arc of Central Alabama
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama  
• Cobbs Allen       
• Coca-Cola Bottling Company United       
• EBSCO Industries            
• Fairway Investments     
• Kamtek Inc.
• Kinder Morgan 
• Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc.
• O’Neal Industries           
• PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
• Robins & Morton           
• Salvation Army Birmingham Area Command      
• Specification Rubber Products   

Supporting the campaign are the Loaned Executives listed below. They will spend the next 13 weeks making presentations to potential and current donors:

• Jasmine Germany – Alabama Power Company
• Kenny Keenan – Alabama Power Company
• Kaylon Mikula – Alabama Power Company
• Chad Quattlebaum – Alabama Power Company
• James Williams – Alabama Power Company
• Lisa Johnson – American Red Cross – Mid Alabama Region
• Christina Powell – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
• Pam Foster – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
• Isabel Morgan – Brasfield & Gorrie
• Michael Savela – Children’s of Alabama
• Nancy Harbison – Drummond Company
• Azeem Qadeer – Encompass Health Corporation
• John O’Neal – O’Neal Industries
• Asa Crawford – Protective Life
• Chuck Self – Regions Financial Corporation
• Charles McCalley – Regions Financial Corporation
• Tammy Ridley – Regions Financial Corporation
• Greg Smith – Regions Financial Corporation
• Cody Blackman – Regions Financial Corporation
• Latronda Riley  – Southern Company
• John Scott Vowell  – Sponsored
• Chris Williams – Sponsored
• Garrett Summers – United Way of Central Alabama
• Lindsey Sauder – United Way of Central Alabama
• Victoria White – United Way of Central Alabama

Want to be a part of the amazing United Way campaign? Visit the campaign center to learn more.

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