Once a year Drake University employees are invited to support United Way of Central Iowa, focused on the 5 Elements of a Thriving Community: Essential Needs, Early Childhood Success, Education Success, Economic Opportunity, and Health & Well-Being.

The 2025 United Way faculty, staff, and student campaign will be held November 10-14. All faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to participate. Your optional participation can be through financial, volunteering, and/or supply & food donations. If we hit our campaign participation goal of 30%, faculty & staff will have the full-day as a paid holiday, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving! (instead of a half-day)

The campaign will kick-off on Monday, November 10 with an email to faculty & staff from Mary Sellers from United Way of Central Iowa. Some highlights to share:

• The campaign is part of our commitment as an anchor institution and to the Des Moines community
• One hundred percent of the funds donated remain in central Iowa (Polk, Dallas, and Warren counties)
• Over 10,000 people are served in the 50311 zip code
• United Way financially supports many organizations that are partners with Drake including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa

Drake faculty & staff are welcomed to make financial contributions to the campaign, and we have giving level incentives to celebrate our participation. (see below) From free parking passes, many Starbucks gift-cards, Drake merch., basketball game tickets, and more! See below for more details and thank you to our many campus partners who made these incentives possible.

Everyone is welcomed to support our food and supply drive. The supply drive is in support of the Burt Boys & Girls Club. The Boys & Girls Club is in need of:

• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Toilet paper
• Canned fruits and vegetables

For food donations, you are welcome to bring the most needed items. Food donations will support our Little Free Pantries and DMARC which has a network of food pantries around the metro, including right by Drake. Please drop off your supplies and/or food in the Olmsted breezeway between 10am and 2:00pm Monday, November 10 through Thursday, November 13.

Lastly, you can volunteer with the Burt Boys & Girls Club! Volunteers are needed for the 11/21 family fall festival (6 – 7:30pm), if interested email aredeker@bgcci.org. Or find many other volunteer opportunities through the United Way of Central Iowa or DUGood for students. For faculty & staff that volunteer, please let Nate Reagen know so it counts towards our participation goal.

If you have any questions or do not receive the email from Mary Sellers on November 10th and wish to participate, please reach out to Nate Reagen.

Thank you for your support and generosity in advance!

The drawing for the incentives above will be held on Monday, 11/17 with winners notified the same day.