SUNY Cortland launches the 2019-20 SEFA Appeal

10/08/2019 

SUNY Cortland will kick off its 2019-20 State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) campaign with a luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 17, for more than 40 SUNY Cortland volunteers, and special guests.

The guest speaker will be Dan Brown, executive director of Racker Centers.

This year’s campaign will run from Friday, Oct. 18 through Friday, Nov. 1. During this time, SUNY Cortland employee volunteers who drive the success of the fundraising effort, will be asking their co-workers to join them in supporting the SEFA campaign. 

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

“Campaign donations last year totaled $43,059.28 from 261 SUNY Cortland employees,” said Heather Drew, who with Pam Schroeder, have co-chaired the campaign for the past three years. They are joined by Maere Vunk for the 2020 drive. 

The university will offer incentives for employees who donate, as follows:

1. Pledges over $104 are entered to win a reserved parking space in a lot closest to the winner’s building.
2. Pledges $25 or more are entered to win one of three $25 Auxiliary Services Corporation (ASC) gift cards.
3. Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members who pledge $25 or more will be eligible for a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to a local restaurant.
4. Employees who pledge $65 or more and designate their gift to the United Way for Cortland County will be entered in 10 weekly drawings for a $50 gas and a $50 grocery card. A grand prize drawing of a $500 gas and $500 grocery card will take place in March.

United Way for Cortland County awarded support to 14 health and human service programs last year. Donations helped provide aid to victims of violence, counseling for children and families, literacy education for adult learners, job skills and GED instruction, quality childcare programs and many other essential services throughout Cortland County.

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, American Red Cross Cortland County Chapter, Catholic Charities of Cortland County, Child Development Council, Cortland County Child Development Center, Family Counseling Services, the Salvation Army, and the YWCA of Cortland. Other participating local agencies include Lime Hollow Center for Environment and Culture, Madison-Cortland New York State ARC, Racker Centers, SUNY Cortland Child Care Center and the YMCA.

Local members of the Cortland County SEFA Committee include: Gary Evans, SEFA Chair, SUNY Cortland management/confidential employees; Lee Bechtel, NYSDOT, CSEA employees; Kathleen Burke, SUNY Cortland United University Professions (UUP) employees; Ryan Fiddler, SUNY Cortland, UUP; Laurie Klotz, SUNY Cortland, retired; Lois Marshall, NYSDOT, CSEA employees; Julia Maslin, NYS OPWDD, PEF; Lori Porter, SUNY Cortland, MC employees; Donna Raymond, NYSEC, CSEA employees; and Christella Yonta, local SEFA administrator.

For more information about SEFA in New York State, visit the SEFA website.