Our community did something pretty amazing this year! In the midst of a widespread economic slowdown, employees and residents in Norwalk and Wilton did what they always do so well: show care for one another.

Our 2007-08 United Way of Norwalk & Wilton Campaign raised $2,814,411 this year in its 49th Caring Community Campaign! This is a 17.9% increase above last year’s final total and 15.8% above the campaign’s $2,430,550 goal.

These amazing results mean that we are creating even more opportunities and inspiring even greater hope for a better tomorrow for so many in Norwalk and Wilton. The United Way of Norwalk & Wilton will help improve people’s lives and the community through its partnership with over 85 local organizations including non-profits, government, businesses, and faith groups as well as with the involvement of numerous local residents.

This also means that more children in our community will have a chance to succeed, more local residents will be able to develop a capacity for self-sufficiency, and our neighborhoods will have a chance to become even stronger. Through the generosity of our contributors, United Way of Norwalk & Wilton will also be in a better position to encourage health and wellness, caring for seniors as well as for people with disabilities, and to provide a safety net of basic human services to those in need in our community.

I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to all those who contributed this year! Highlights from our 2008 campaign include the welcoming of IMS Health, which recently moved to Norwalk and added over $40,000 to this year’s campaign. We also added two new corporate contributors: Virgin Atlantic and Building and Land Technology. I’d also like to acknowledge the extra effort that Enterprise Rent-A-Car put forth this year. By emphasizing leadership giving, Enterprise took its campaign to a new level — increasing its campaign 65% and its leadership givers from 1 to 23!

I’d also like to thank the 22 volunteer members of my Campaign Cabinet who were the front line workers who promoted this successful campaign. Our volunteers truly are an exceptional group of community leaders — without them, there is no doubt that we would not be celebrating these fantastic results today. A special thanks goes out to the two Small Business teams that worked so hard to raise awareness and funds from various small businesses in the community.

This year’s campaign was very rewarding to me personally. Not only do I feel fortunate for what we were able to accomplish, but I also feel blessed for the opportunity to work closely with so many truly inspiring individuals. As I consider the future of our community, I am encouraged by the commitment and generosity of so many of our fine neighbors. Once again, thank you!

Tom Quindlen, President & CEO, GE Corporate Lending
Chair 2007-08 Caring Community Campaign