Welcome to the 2019 Employee Giving Season!
Survey says, “The DCHS Family Feud is back for the third year!” Led by Kerry Wade, Project Program Manager at Best Starts for Kids, eight teams of fun and adventurous players will give their all in a heated battle against each other to win money for their favorite non-profit. To raise funds, the registered teams will pay to sign up, and coworker spectators and sponsors throughout the department are encouraged to donate throughout the course of the event. Raising the stakes makes for a more competitive game, but the 2018 winners, The “V” Family, are looking to maintain their title. However, there are plenty of newcomers who are biting at the chance to dethrone them. Who will come out on top?
The Department of Community and Human Services will host this three-event tournament at the Chinook building, where plenty of other King County departments working there are welcome to contribute to the fun. We’re plenty busy working for our residents at DCHS, so it’s great to have a space to let our hair down and still make contributions to the community we love. The people, the cause, the competition—DCHS Family Feud is one of the most spirited and popular events for the King County Employee Giving Program’s Annual Giving Drive. Over the past five years, DCHS has contributed more than $300,000 to various causes, and the Family Feud tournament contributes toward that effort. So let’s play the Feud!
The Annual Giving Drive
This year marks the 30th year of the Employee Giving Program! From its humble beginnings, the program has grown into a dynamic force in King County and around the world, raising more than $30,000,000 for local and global charities. The EGP was established in 1988 as an easy and cost-effective way for King County employees to support their favorite non-profit organizations—making us one of the top government giving back programs in Washington.
Over 1,000 non-profits are associated with the program, and the number keeps growing. The Annual Giving Drive (from October 7th to November 22nd) is the most fun part of the year for staff. These weeks are dedicated time for communicating about specific causes and events. Coworkers can sign up for to give payroll or time donations; various organizations come to talk about their work at Non-profit Expos; and county staff host fundraisers, raffles and events to raise money as well.
2019 department-wide efforts for DCHS are coordinated by our amazing ambassadors Katherine Festa and Jennell Hicks. Katherine is a Housing and Outreach Program Manager with the Developmental Disabilities, and Early Childhood Supports Division (DDECSD) as well as a founding member of the King County Native American Leadership Council; Jennell is a Program Manager with the Coordinated Entry for All (CEA) Capacity Builder Program.
Together, these amazing women will be leading the department in our efforts to contribute to the overall King County goal of $2.1 million for 2019. Some DCHS events will include an annual Bazaar as well as a delicious bake sale, and even donated items come up for auction!
More than 7 Weeks
The Employee Giving Program is all year around. While the Annual Giving Drive is a very packed and exciting few weeks, King County staff can contribute to their community all year. There are plenty of worthy organizations and causes that county workers can give their time to, even using Volunteer Match to link them to work that aligns with them. Depending on benefits, staff are also able to use sick days to volunteer as part of the Employee Giving program! And there are those unfortunate moments when disaster strikes nearby or around the world, and people want to help. The EGP makes this happen through its global network of verified non-profits that offer emergency relief in times of need. King County can quickly vet these programs and set up a place for people to donate to crisis response.
The Benefits of Giving
Because the EGP is cost-effective, efficient and an easy way to give money, it allows the non-profits we care about to be able to spend more of their efforts on the work that matters the most. Feeding the hungry, housing people experiencing homelessness, protecting the environment, celebrating the beautiful culture of the people around us, and many more things—these contribute to having a healthy and thriving community, and we’re glad we can do our part.
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