Penske Receives Fundraising Award from the United Way of Berks County

TheUnited Way of Berks County presented a Presidential Award to Penske Truck Leasing, the top company fundraiser in the charitable organization’s 2014 fundraising campaign.

Since 1991, the United Way has presented the award to the top 10 companies, based on employee and corporate giving to support the United Way’s annual campaign. Penske has been in the top 10 for the last 21 years.

During the award presentation, Tammy White, president of the United Way of Berks County, announced that Penske was the top company fundraiser and praised Penske for its year-round commitment to the organization.

“With your involvement on a year-round basis, you are a model for other companies,” White said, in presenting the award to Brian Hard, Penske’s president and CEO, and members of the United Way at Work Committee. “Please know you are a leader.”

Through the efforts of the committee, Penske supports the United Way year-round with fundraising events and volunteerism benefiting partner agencies.

“Our United Way at Work Committee keeps the United Way’s efforts and the efforts of its agency partners front and center in the minds of the associates at Penske,” Hard said.

Penske contributed $875,000 to the campaign, reflecting an overall increase of 15.3 percent in charitable donations to the organization.

Associate giving was up 9.5 percent to $547,339 from $499,669 in 2013. Since 2011, associates have donated more than $1.8 million to the charitable organization.

But more than donations, the United Way praised Penske’s overall commitment to the campaign.

“In addition to the very generous corporate contribution and employee campaign, Penske’s partnership is evidenced by annually providing two Loaned Campaign Specialists, and supporting year-round volunteerism and special events to benefit United Way and our agency partners” said Jean A. Morrow, senior vice president of development and major gifts, United Way of Berks County.

The United Way’s 2014 fundraising campaign raised $9.59 million.

Each year, the United Way of Berks County assists 100,000 county residents and supports 32 partner agencies while focusing on four areas: education, income, health and safety net services.

By Bernie Mixon