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SUNY Cortland will kick off its 2017-2018 State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) campaign on Friday, Oct. 13, with an 11:30 a.m. luncheon for volunteers in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge.

The campaign, which relies on state employee volunteers to canvas co-workers for donations, will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 18, and extend through Wednesday, Nov. 1.

The only authorized fundraising campaign among state workers, SEFA is directed by the United Way of Cortland County and unites fundraising efforts for a group of agencies under a common umbrella.

During the 2016-2017 SEFA campaign, 285 SUNY Cortland employees donated a total of $40,608. Heather Drew and Pam Schroeder return to serve as co-chairs again this year.

“The SEFA campaign provides help and support to those in need,” Drew said. “We hope the campus community will be generous again this year by showing their support and donate to this this very worthwhile cause.”

According to Christella Yonta, campaign associate for the United Way for Cortland County, last year’s United Way donations were allocated to more than 16 health and human service programs at 10 United Way Community partner agencies. Donations helped provide aid to victims of violence, support to parenting or pregnancy risk teens, literacy education for adult learners, scholarships to working parents for quality childcare and many other essential services here in Cortland County.

The College will offer incentives for employees who donate to the 2017-18 campaign. At the campaign’s end, a drawing for five prizes will be conducted. First prize is a reserved campus parking space located in the lot closest to the winner’s building. To be eligible, an employee must pledge at least $104. Everyone who donates a minimum of $25 will be eligible to win one of three $25 Auxiliary Services Corporation (ASC) gift cards. Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members who donate at least $25 will be eligible for a $50 gift certificate to a local restaurant.

SEFA campaigns are also conducted at the State Department of Labor, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Court Administration and the State Police. Decisions are made locally about which agencies are included and how funds are distributed. The community-based SEFA committee is composed of representatives from state agencies and managers of human service agencies. Pledging takes place once a year.

Participants can choose to have their gifts shared among different organizations within Cortland County, used in another county of their choice or designated for individual local, state, independent or international organizations. Examples of local agencies include the United Way for Cortland County, Madison-Cortland New York State ARC, American Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Catholic Charities, Cortland Area Child Care Council, Cortland County Child Development Center, Family Counseling Services, Lime Hollow Center for Environment and Culture, Salvation Army, Franziska Racker Centers (special children’s center), United Service Organization, J. M. McDonald Sports Complex, YMCA and YWCA.

Local members of the Cortland County SEFA Committee include: Kathleen Burke, SUNY Cortland United University Professions (UUP) employees; Christella Yonta, federated campaign coordinator for the United Way for Cortland County; Gary Evans, SUNY Cortland management/confidential employees; Laurie Klotz, SUNY Cortland UUP employees; Lois Marshall, NYSDOT, CSEA employees; Donna Raymond, NYSEC, CSEA employees; Antoinette Tiburzi, SUNY Cortland professor emerita, Cortland County SEFA chair; and Lori Porter SUNY Cortland, management/confidential employees.

For more information about SEFA in New York state, visit the website www.sefanys.org.