The United Way of Acadiana hopes to raise $3.3 million in its annual fundraising campaign this year. The nonprofit kicked off the giving season Thursday at Vermilionville with an event featuring Marc Broussard.Broussard, a musician from Carencro who has gained a national following, is this year's campaign spokesman.
 ADVERTISEMENT
|
|
"With all the trouble I gave my parents as a kid, I'm sure they're surprised to know I'm the spokesperson for United Way of Acadiana," he said, jokingly.
But Broussard said he plans to give it his all, even with a full music schedule that takes him to cities across the country."I'll just be a part of all the events I can be," he said.
Last year, the United Way of Acadiana raised $3.2 million, said Margaret Trahan, president and CEO of the organization.
The money helped more than 50 agencies provide disaster relief and other services around Acadiana
Buffy Domingue, an office manager with Louisiana Surgical Specialty Hospital, said this year the hospital workers - not administrators - are taking a leading role in the effort.
"We're going to get our staff involved to get the contributions up from last year," she said.
At Fugro Chance, employees are eligible to win a variety of incentives - including one week's paid vacation, iPods and computers - when they donate.
But company president Phil Stutes said that's not why most donate.
"We want to educate our work force on the good that the United Way does for the community. They're from here, they work in the community, so they're generally pretty generous people," he said.
At Fugro, about 76 percent of employees participate, according to Stutes.
Trahan said the generosity of the people of Acadiana is one reason the United Way believes it will be able to meet its goal once again this year.
"We're pretty hopeful that they'll rise to the challenge. They always have in the past," she said.
theadvertiser.com
Zoom Photo
