State workers boosted gifts in campaign

Missouri government employees last year boosted their contributions to the annual Combined Charitable Campaign by 11.4 percent, pledging more than $1.1 million statewide to a total of 1,045 charities.

Jefferson City area state workers pledged $267,500 to 32 area organizations, including $182,000 to the United Way of Central Missouri -- the top recipient in the statewide campaign -- and $60,900 to the Samaritan Center.

The Jefferson City church-supported agency received the fifth highest pledges statewide.

The four agencies above it were three United Way organizations and the similar Community Health Charities of Kansas and Missouri from the Kansas City area.

The Samaritan Center's pledges were more than 24 percent greater in 2004 than in 2003.

Diane Gresham, manager of the annual fund-raising campaign, noted that last year's Samaritan Center pledge of $48,986 was 46 percent larger than in 2002.

Throughout Central Missouri -- Cole, Callaway, Boone, Miller, Morgan, Camden and Cooper counties -- a total of 120 organizations received $433,350 in pledges, a 9 percent increase over 2003.

In the 2004 campaign, the state's 26 United Way groups received a total of $517,000 in pledges, a 2 percent boost over 2003.

In ceremonies Wednesday in his Capitol office, Gov. Matt Blunt applauded state employees for their "outstanding generosity and support" of the campaign that raises money for a number of charitable groups.

The total number of donors last year is 10,940 -- a 9.5 increase over 2003's pledge participants.

Since the coordinated statewide campaign began 20 years ago, Gresham said, Missouri employees have donated more than $16.4 million.

The average employee donation in the 2004 campaign was $106, up $2 from 2003.