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A Message from the President

The 2011 Campaign once again demonstrated Wisconsin’s generosity and support for our member organizations. Community Health Charities of Wisconsin received pledges and employee gifts in excess of $2.5 million from all of our campaign activities. The CHCWI staff continues to work hard to increase the revenues realized by the member charities. And, what is raised in Wisconsin is directed to our members to sustain Wisconsin services, education and support.

Community Health Charities of Wisconsin provides our members with unrestricted revenue used to support the aforementioned local programming and services for their clients and supporters. These dollars are contributed directly to the charities by individuals from public and municipal entities and private industry organizations across our entire state. The annual employee giving campaigns that drive these contributions are still an important and vibrant facet of the incredible culture of philanthropy that is a distinguishing attribute of the citizenry of Wisconsin. By efficiently representing our members as a portfolio of individual philanthropic choices, CHCWI truly connects the philanthropic passions of employees to our members.

Community Health Charities of Wisconsin takes pride in the quality of its member charities. CHCWI continues to grow its membership portfolio through a careful and strategically driven process. Potential members must meet or exceed rigorous membership and accountability standards in the areas of finance, governance and licensing/regulation. Members and applicants must also have missions and services that are consistent with the health care focus of CHCWI. The annual renewal for continuing members, and the approval of new applicant charities, is a dynamic process that involves both our administrative staff and our Board of Directors. Once completed, CHCWI can assure campaign participants that our portfolio has been vetted against a set of consistent standards through a thorough and extensive process. This annual undertaking is done to ensure that your contributions are utilized by the members to best serve their clients while also maintaining the high standards expected of our portfolio. For the upcoming 2012 campaigns, CHCWI welcomed these new members: AIDS Research Foundation (amfAR), Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin, Be the Match Foundation, Bryon Riesch Paralysis Foundation CaringBridge, Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation, LifeStriders, National Psoriasis Foundation, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), Research to Prevent Blindness, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Central Wisconsin Affiliate and Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.

CHCWI has also introduced a national web based program from CHC of America: Health Matters at Work. Health Matters is a dynamic site offering information, education and support resources produced by our national staff in cooperation with our charity members. The ever increasing library of previously recorded webinars is a valuable tool for employees and employers as we all become more educated health care consumers. This service is available to your organization at no cost.

Grace Soma, Katie Kohl and Jackie Ruggles continue to provide outstanding service to our members, each leveraging their ten plus years of experience to the benefit of CHCWI and its constituencies. We also added Teresa Bath to our development team with responsibility for the Fox Valley and Brown County areas of Wisconsin. Our staff wants to extend a genuine and heartfelt thank you to all who participate with us each year.

We welcome you all to become part of this amazing and unique organization. CHCWI has the wonderful task of supporting over 70 health charities. But of most importance is the continuing investment that contributors make in their hope for a better future.