Alumnus "Breaks the Mold" with a United Way Gift to the Foundation

For Ron Burks (Cal Poly Pomona) it was an ordinary day at the office when he received the annual United Way Workplace Campaign form. Ron works for Enterprise Rent-a-Car® in Orange County, California, and the company had recently announced a United Way campaign goal for the entire staff: to secure as many $1000 gifts as possible this year. Ron was already close to reaching this United Way giving level, called the Leadership Giver, and by increasing his gift he could also help Enterprise reach their goal. As he looked through the list of non-profit organizations that were eligible to receive his gift through the United Way, Ron decided that if he was going to give $1000, he wanted to give it to someone he knew. He contacted his local United Way representative to determine if it was possible to designate his gift to any organization of his

Ron Burks (Cal Poly Pomona)

choosing. In addition he contacted Sigma Nu to find out if the Educational Foundation was an 501(c)3 organization that would be eligible to receive his United Way contribution.

Ron found out that the Sigma Nu Educational Foundation (SNEF) is eligible, and Ron obtained a designation code from his local United Way representative that could be used on the form. Ron says, "It was a simple process" to designate Sigma Nu as the beneficiary of this gift. Shortly after Ron made his $1000 pledge, he learned that Enterprise Rent-a-Car had matched 50% of his donation, totaling $1500 (minus processing fees for United Way) for the Sigma Nu Educational Foundation.

For a guy who was never before a donor to the Foundation, Ron was able to make his first gift of $1500 just by taking the initiative to ask a few questions. Ron has also committed to the SNEF for six years at this giving level. When asked why, after all these years, Ron choose to give to the Sigma Nu Educational Foundation, his response was, "I had a lot of fun in my chapter. It was hard work, but a lot of fun. It may have been 20 years ago, but many of those guys are still my friends today."

Executive Vice President of the Foundation, James Owens, stated that "this gift is significant to the Foundation not only because we have a new donor in Ron, but also because this helps us educate our members who may be participating in United Way's Workplace Campaign but don't realize they can designate their gift to the SNEF." Anyone who's local United Way Workplace Campaign allows for "donor choice designation" in selecting a beneficiary can choose the Sigma Nu Educational Foundation to receive their United Way gift. "It's a win-win for everyone," says James. According to a United Way representative, "as long as the organization is an IRS recognized 501(c)3 and the local United Way has a donor choice designation policy" this process would be as simple for anyone as it was for Ron.

If you would like to know more about designating your United Way gift to the Sigma Nu Educational Foundation, please contact your local United Way representative for a designation code or James Owens at the Sigma Nu Educational Foundation.