By Kim Williams, CFRE—
EAST CENTRAL INDIANA – Heart of Indiana United Way will kick off their annual campaign to the public with a 5-day virtual Give from the Heart Challenge October 18-22. The goal of the challenge is to raise financial support for and awareness of Heart of Indiana United Way’s impact in each of the counties they serve. Each day of the 5-day challenge will be focused on one of the following counties – Delaware, Madison, Henry, Randolph, and Fayette.
The Give from the Heart Challenge will premiere at 1 pm each day on the organization’s social media channels. Short, daily videos will be hosted by board members Tyrone Thomas of NTN Driveshaft Anderson, and Alisa Wells of Ivy Tech Community College Delaware and Henry Counties. Videos will showcase the work and partners in each community and help to tell the story of how support of United Way makes a difference locally.
One of the highlights of the Challenge week is a $25,000 match from First Merchants Bank. The match will provide a $1 or $1 match on all donations made by individuals during the week. The goal is to put even more back into communities across the Heart of Indiana region and help every person thrive.
“As CEO of First Merchants Bank, I enthusiastically support United Way’s Give from the Heart Challenge Sponsorship program because it ensures that our bank’s donations have a positive impact in the communities we serve. That is a fundamental part of how we operate to help ensure community wellbeing and prosperity within our local communities. We care strongly about it, and we are proud to support our communities through this program,” said Mark Hardwick.
Each day of the Give from the Heart Challenge will include a wide range of ways that individuals can Give from the Heart including donating, volunteering, daily personal challenges, challenging others to give—including a fun TikTok-worthy motion to the event’s tagline “5 days. 5 Counties. 1 Heart.”
“Across the Heart of Indiana, almost half of all households cannot make ends meet—and that was before COVID-19,” Heart of Indiana United Way President and CEO Jenni Marsh explained. “It’s only though the support of donors that we can fund programs that provide resources that put children and families on the path to lifelong success. During this challenge, we’re asking everyone to give from the heart and support United Way.”
This year’s campaign goal for the newly merged Heart of Indiana United Way is $2,000,000 to support the vital work of United Way to help kids and families thrive across the entire 5-county region. Donations to the Give from the Heart Challenge can be made by texting Heart2Give to 41444.
Follow Heart of Indiana United Way on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to view the Give from the Heart Challenge.
About Heart of Indiana United Way
Heart of Indiana United Way was established in July of 2021 when two organizations, the United Way of Madison County (which also serves Fayette County) and the United Way of Delaware, Henry & Randolph Counties, joined forces to transform and improve more lives in Indiana. Heart of Indiana United Way looks to improve the quality of life in our five targeted communities by engaging people and organizations to advance education, financial stability, and access to quality health care.
