Penn's Way, a workplace charitable giving campaign, aims to collect $1.6 million in donations.
The campaign, which launched Oct. 4 and runs until Nov. 19, is a collaboration between Penn Medicine, Philadelphia Alliance for Change, and United Way. This year's campaign theme is "Go Far Together" and seeks to address health care disparity, food insecurity, and social justice, Penn Today reported.
Vice President for Public Safety and Penn Police Superintendent Maureen Rush and University of Pennsylvania Health System Chief Quality Officer Pat Sullivan serve as the campaign's co-chairs. Graduate School of Education professor Vivian Gadsden and UPHS Senior Vice President Peter Quinn serve as the campaign's faculty advisors.
In an online letter addressing their colleagues, the chairs and advisors of Penn's Way wrote that the "Go Far Together" theme is necessary amid the pandemic and spotlights Penn's generosity.
"Collectively, our donations continue to make a broad and immediate impact on our community and the vulnerable populations we serve," they wrote.
Penn's Way previously raised $1.5 million during the 2020 campaign. Rush told Penn Today that this year’s goal of $1.6 million is based on last year's campaign total.
"We’ve always based our goals roughly on what we raised in the past year,” Rush told Penn Today. “We’re still not out of [COVID-19], so we’re going a little higher than last year with the hope that we will accomplish that.”
Penn Medicine and University employees who wish to donate are required to submit the Penn’s Way online pledge form, a new pledge system that is more reliable than paper and better protects employees’ privacy, Penn Today reported.
The pledge form asks employees to select one or more organizations to receive their tax-deductible gift. Penn Medicine organizations that employees can donate to include the Abramson Cancer Center, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and the Joan Karnell Cancer Center. The campaign gives donors the option to donate any sum of money to as many participating organizations as they choose.
In their donation video, Sullivan emphasized the importance of the annual campaign.
“[Penn's Way] combines the University and the health system and is an opportunity for us to pool our collective resources," Sullivan said in the video.
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