Aside from the ability to give online this year https://www.givingmatters365.org/_ctemployeegiving/ , we have a few other new features at Storrs.
On select Thursdays, we will be hosting representatives from some of the charities most popular with our employees. Check the website http://csec.uconn.edu and the Daily Digest to find out who and when.
Additionally, we’ve asked some employees who’ve routinely given to this campaign to tell us why they give and how they decide which charities to give to. We will share their stories with you periodically at http://csec.uconn.edu and in the Daily Digest.
Here’s what Anne St. Onge, graduate coordinator at UCONN Biology Central Services in Storrs told us.
Why I Give: Anne St. Onge
One thing that caught my eye when I first starting contributing was a chart someone sent out that showed what giving just $2 per paycheck – an amount almost no one would miss – could do. And of course, what $5, or $10, etc. could do, and it was impressive.
What stood out to me was how small an amount would feed a family of four for a time. I remember thinking that you wouldn’t even miss two dollars a pay period. People could eat if I just put that down and it was nothing! You could give a little and help a lot.
I’ve had a pretty fortunate life and recognize that for myriad reasons, so many people do not have easy lives. I am thankful to have a position with a decent salary and great benefits. I work with interesting people and I try to appreciate the everyday gifts we often take for granted.
It’s good karma to give back!
I split my contribution between the international need and the local need: I donate to Doctors without Borders because of the importance of their work – as stated on their website: Medical aid where it is needed most. Independent. Neutral. Impartial.
I also give to Homes for Our Troops. They renovate the homes of wounded veterans to make them accessible. Since the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, the number of veterans who have returned home with damaged bodies is appalling. This organization started in Massachusetts, which is why I heard about it – it is somewhat local and so necessary.
For more information, contact: Paula Enderle at 860-486-0379 or paula.enderle@uconn.edu