Inan effort to raise 250 thousand dollars by January of 2003, the Stony BrookCares 2002-2003 campaign collects donations from Stony Brook UniversityEmployees. The funds which will then be distributed to some 450 State EmployeesFederal Appeal (SEFA) agencies.
‘
‘?[Originally]SEFA was doing a campaign for the state employees, while the ResearchFoundation was doing a campaign for the research community,’ said BarbaraKatz, Executive Administrator for the Office of the Vice President of HealthSciences. ‘?They combined into one program called Stony Brook Cares aboutfive years ago.’
‘
AsKatz pointed out, the Stony Brook Cares campaign raises money for a diverse setof charities. These agencies serve a wide range of needs not only of the StonyBrook community, but also of the various Suffolk County interest groups,including those involved in healthcare delivery, environmental protection, andpublic health prevention initiatives.
‘
‘?TheSB Cares/SEFA Campaign gives each of us an opportunity to make a lastingdifference in people’s lives,’ wrote Norman Edelman, Executive Chair forthe Stony Brook Cares 2002-2003 campaign as well as the Dean of the SBU Schoolof Medicine and Vice President of the Health Sciences Center. ‘?One inthree Suffolk County residents will receive services from a partner agency thisyear.’
‘
Edelmanexpressed a two-fold purpose of the campaign, writing that ‘?Stony BrookCares provides much needed support to agencies that serve our communitywell.’ He went on to write that ‘?it allows us to express ourconcern and charity as a group, improving the sense of identity with StonyBrook.’
‘
Accordingto Edelman, the funding is used to ‘?rebuild lives adversely affected byphysical abuse, illness, disability, or unexpected personal, family, orphysical crisis.’
‘
MaureenVeprek, Coordinator for the Stony Brook Cares 2002-2003 campaign, addressed thesignificance of individual donations, pointing out the numerous choices availableto SBU employees once they select to donate funds to the Stony Brook Carescampaign.
‘
‘?Theemployees make their designations for where they want their donations togo,’ Veprek said. ‘?They choose whatever charity they feel they wanttheir money to go to. They may want it to go to the American Red Cross, theSalvation Army, or the Guide Dog [Foundation for the Blind].’
‘
Accordingto Veprek, University employees who choose to donate to Stony Brook Cares maydo so by credit card, check, cash, or by opting for a payroll deduction. Theymay then select to donate their money to any of the 450 charities, supportingthe cause of their choice.
‘
‘?Insteadof being solicited by 450 different agencies, you now can make one check, whichwill be distributed as you see fit,’ Veprek said. ‘?There are twoaffiliated groups here at the University, which is the Child Care Center andthe University Hospital Auxiliary. It’s all about choice.’
‘
Accordingto a Stony Brook University Hospital publication, with generous donations fromSBU employees the University Hospital Auxiliary was able to finance suchhealthcare endeavors as mammographic ultrasounds, cancer treatment, and childcare programs.’
‘
‘?Wetry to serve as role models for the students,’ Katz said. ‘?We hopethat what we do in our campaign is something that students will emulate in thefuture, becoming not only employees but also active members of theircommunity.’
‘
Edelmanstressed the importance of individual contributions in times of difficulteconomic times.
‘
‘?Thisis an especially important year,’ Edelman wrote. ‘?Because of thepoor economy the need for services is increased. Because of the fiscal problemsof government, their support of agencies is down, charitable donations,especially from people like us who are fortunate to have secure job, must fillthe gap.’
