The United Way in Waukesha County board of directors took action to maintain program allocations at the same level as last year, avoiding any reductions in funds to its partner agencies.

United Way board president Janet Schulz said, "The funding gap we had projected in January has closed in large part because of The Windhover Foundation grant and the contributions made as a result of a fundraising challenge to the community issued by The Windhover Foundation. The donor intent was clear, 'preserve funding levels.'"

The board also learned that total dollars pledged exceeded the revenue gap by $11,000.  Board action placed these contributions into a fund for emergency allocation requests in 2009.  Schulz, chief integration officer for ProHealth Care, said, "Overcoming the financial challenges United Way faced in January is a testament to the character of our community."

The board voted to invest more than $4.5 million for 2009 to impact education, income, and health in Waukesha County by funding five countywide initiatives, and 72 health and human service programs provided by 36 agencies.

"We've repeatedly heard the phrase 'tough economic times' from just about everyone lately," said Paul Melnick, volunteer chair of impact strategies and results for United Way and senior vice president of Marine Bank. "But workers and residents throughout Waukesha county demonstrated this year that their capacity to give and their compassion for those people who need United Way-funded services are greater than current financial challenges."

Quad/Graphics Inc. president and chief executive officer Joel Quadracci was the first to contribute toward closing the funding gap by committing a $275,000 gift to United Way by The Windhover Foundation, a charitable organization chaired by Betty Quadracci and funded by Quad/Graphics and the Quadracci family. A challenge to the Waukesha County community was then issued by Quadracci to raise $200,000 by mid-March, which, when added to the $275,000 donation, would close the gap between the shortfall in the United Way's total revenue and the funding level allocated to the agency programs in 2008.

"The final outcome of the 2008 campaign is a result of not only The Windhover Foundation stepping forward to challenge us to fill the gap, but also the hundreds of volunteers who work within their organizations on behalf of United Way to coordinate employee campaigns and special events," said Ty Taylor, 2008 campaign chairman for United Way and president of Waukesha State Bank.