Last week, Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) celebrated Halloween with a staff benefit event for United Way of Northwest Vermont. During the event, VHFA was honored to receive the President’s Award in recognition for its support of United Way in 2017.
Among the Halloween festivities were trick-or-treating for children of staff and costume and pumpkin carving contests. Entry fees from the contests will be donated to United Way.
United Way CEO Jesse Bridges and Campaign Associate Henry Rabinowitz stopped by to discuss their organization’s important work in reducing substance abuse, promoting mental health, supporting families, advancing employment, and meeting basic needs in Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle counties. They presented VHFA with the 2017 President’s Award, which is bestowed on organizations that achieve 80% employee participation in United Way fundraising and $75 per capita employee giving.
In 2017, VHFA achieved an 83.8% staff participation rate for its campaign activities and raised nearly $12,000. 2017 campaign events included a charity mini golf tournament, holiday basket raffle, and a Thanksgiving pie auction. The Halloween event kicked off VHFA’s new year of United Way fundraising, in which VHFA hopes to exceed last year’s donations.
Pictured: United Way of Northwest Vermont Campaign Associate Henry Rabinowitz, and VHFA Director of HR and Administration Steve Gronlund (in a prize-winning pig costume)