United Way in Waukesha County and GE Aim High in 2013

GE Healthcare hosted local executives and US Representative Jim Sensenbrenner during a leadership forum and reception yesterday to discuss the state of charitable giving in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The reception brought members of the local community together in preparation for the United Way’s Annual Campaign, which this year will be chaired locally by three GE leaders: Jim Ambrose of GE Healthcare Financial Services, Bob Hutchinson of GE’s Waukesha Gas Engines, and Rob Reilly of GE Healthcare. All three GE businesses have a large presence in Waukesha County. 

United Way in Waukesha County mobilizes the financial and human resources of local businesses to provide support for individuals and families in the areas of health and human services. This year United Way is in the middle of its three year Strive for 5 campaign which aims to raise $5 million by 2014, while this year’s goal is $4.75 million. The campaign is also seeking to recruit 500 reader, tutor, and mentor volunteers by the end of 2014. As of May 28, 2013, 160 volunteers have made the pledge to become readers, tutors, or mentors.  

 “Charitable giving is ingrained in America’s moral fiber.” said US Representative Jim Sensenbrenner. “There are over 35,000 non-profits in Wisconsin and these philanthropic organizations rely heavily on private donations to provide a safety net for many programs and services Americans rely on. Thankfully, proposals to place a cap on charitable deductions have been met with broad bipartisan opposition. I introduced H.R. 1479 to prevent our tax code from dissuading contributions and affirm our nation’s commitment to protecting charitable giving. I thank GE and the United Way for their support in this effort. Their relationship is a powerful testament to the value of collaboration between philanthropy and industry to improve quality of life in Wisconsin.”

Michelle DuBord, Director of Investor Relations at United Way in Waukesha County commented on the campaign, “GE’s willingness to understand the community and lead the effort to mobilize resources is critical for bringing our United Way campaign to a whole new level.”

United Way’s efforts align with GE’s long history of employee volunteerism and local engagement. GE is the largest corporate supporter of United Way in Waukesha County. 

“Our work with United Way provides unique opportunities to make a lasting impact in the communities we call home,” said Rob Reilly, Chief Marketing Officer for GE Healthcare, US and Canada. “With three GE leaders chairing this year’s campaign, we look forward to an exciting campaign strengthening our partnership with this great organization and our commitment to Waukesha County and Wisconsin at large.”

The annual United Way campaign will run from September through December. For more information, please visit www.UnitedWayWaukesha.org.