“The health care community needs funds and employees of local companies want to help.  In the past, the United Way was the only vehicle for employee giving in the workplace.  Now, there can be choice,” said David Fawcett, President of the Combined Health Appeal.

Combined Health Appeal is a federation of health care agencies formed to raise funds through employee payroll deduction campaigns, to promote health and wellness and to educate the public and medical professions about the diseases and afflictions served by its members.  Campaigning among Minnesota’s workers, it will raise over $400,000 for health and wellness and its member agencies will help over a million Minnesotans this year.

“We need to find businesses that want to help with the health and wellness of their employees and of their community by offering their employees additional choices in their charitable campaign,” Fawcett said.

Combined Health Appeal of Minnesota is a non-profit organization of 15 major, voluntary health agencies.  Its goal is to further the health and health care of our community through research, prevention, care and education.

Combined Health Appeal was formed four years ago by twelve health agencies.  For 1991, they have admitted three new members – The Alzheimer’s Association, the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Association and United Cerebral Palsy.  They join the twelve charter members – the American Lung Associations of Hennepin County, Ramsey County and Greater Minnesota; the Association for Nonsmokers; the Children’s Cancer Research Fund; the Hemophilia Foundation; the Leukemia Society; the Lupus Foundation; the Minnesota Society for Prevention of Blindness & Preservation of Hearing; the Multiple Sclerosis Society; the Muscular Dystrophy Association; and the Twin Cities Natural Family Planning Center.

Combined Health Appeal conducts campaigns in over 200 local businesses and governmental units and plans to raise over $450,000 in this year’s campaign.  “Pledge donations are a very efficient way for our member agencies to raise money,” said Fawcett.  “The cost of raising this money was under 12%, last year and that is far lower than direct mail, telemarketing or other means.”  It is also easier for the donor who is able to give in small, weekly or bi-weekly amounts spread over a whole year.  Employees really like the Donor Designation feature where they choose where their gift goes.

Combined Health Appeal is also the Charitable Beneficiary of the Twin Cities Marathon, one of the premier marathons in the country.  Runners secure pledges for each mile they run or for finishing times and designate their pledges to one or more of the member agencies.

“Choice is an idea whose time has come,” said Fawcett, “Employees are willing to support many causes with their dollars if given the opportunity.  No single federation can raise all the funds needed by the non-profits of this community.  Combined Health Appeal, with its focus on health and wellness, answers a demonstrated need of the community.”

For more information, call David Fawcett, President, at 544-4148.