State workers raise record total for charities

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State workers raised about $19,000 a day over the last two months for charities, including one designed to help victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The Missouri State Employees Charitable Campaign raised $1,125,000 -- including $95,850 for The Sept. 11 Fund -- from the contributions of 11,000 state employees.

Last year also was a record for the fund, which totaled $1,073,000 from state workers, who can choose the charities to which they want to donate, said Mike Hartmann, commissioner of the Office of Administration.

In the 16 years of the program, employees have raised more than $13 million.

More than $522,000 was raised this year for United Way agencies and another $274,000 for charitable agencies that serve people statewide.

Hartmann, in a ceremony in the governor's Capitol office, said the amount of money raised was remarkable, given tough economic times made worse by the Sept. 11 attacks.

The state is battling a budget shortfall, and state employees did not receive a raise this year. Another round of budget cuts expected this month could include layoffs.

Wanting to help

"On the morning of September 11, tragedy struck this nation," Hartmann said. "By late afternoon of that same day, the Missouri State Employees Charitable Campaign office was inundated with calls from state employees wanting to help."

The money will be administered by the United Way of New York City and New York Community Trust. There will be no administrative costs associated with the funding.

Gov. Bob Holden said he was moved by the outpouring of support.

"Even in this most difficult year, Missouri state employees have been generous beyond expectations," Holden said.