Marion County commissioners hear United Way campaign kickoff, employees encouraged to direct donations

Marion County commissioners heard a presentation on Sept. 24 from United Way of the Mid Willamette Valley launching the county's 2025 employee contribution campaign, which will run through October.

The presentation, delivered by Megan Trowbridge of United Way and introduced by Gary White, administrative services manager for the Board of Commissioners' office, included a short video and a program overview of services United Way funds in Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties. "When you support United Way, you're not just donating, you're creating change," Trowbridge said during the presentation.

Trowbridge highlighted several United Way-supported programs, including Cottages United (affordable senior housing), the Awesome 3000 youth fun run, a safe-sleep program for at-risk women and children, an Enrichment Academy after-school program and the local Community Resource Center that redistributes donated goods. The presentation said the organization connected more than 300,000 people to resources and invested more than $8.5 million in the region in the past year.

Gary White told commissioners that each county department would organize its own fundraising activities and listed examples: a Board of Commissioners kickoff breakfast on Oct. 1, a midweek ice cream/snack cart, a coin-collection competition, a frybread taco lunch on Oct. 28, finance-led catered lunches with tip donations, and a countywide bake sale. County employees can find event details, department representatives and payroll-deduction pledge forms on the Board of Commissioners' intranet page, White said.

A commissioner who said they serve on United Way's board encouraged employees to watch the video and noted the option to direct donations to specific charities; Trowbridge confirmed that, for directed donations, 9% is retained by United Way for administrative costs and 91% goes to charities on the donor's list. "9% of it goes towards United Way, and then 91% of it goes towards the charities," she said.

The presentation concluded with an invitation to donate, volunteer or learn more at United Way of the Mid Willamette Valley and with county staff offering to answer follow-up questions by email or in person.

The commissioners did not take formal action on the presentation; it was informational and intended to promote employee participation in October fundraising and payroll-deduction options.