Enriching Communities with Community Giving Campaign

AUTHORED BY COLE STERR 

Ah, the most wonderful time of the corporate year – the community giving campaign is back, and United Properties is participating once again to support the Pohlad Companies’ charitable giving initiatives.

Our community giving campaign will officially kick off this Friday, Aug. 23 – the birthday of the Pohlad Companies founder Carl Pohlad, who passed away ten years ago. Each year, all offices under the Pohlad Companies honor the late founder by wearing his favorite pattern: polka dots! For every employee that decks themselves out in some polka dot gear, their respective company will donate $10 to the overall charitable giving fund.

The four main charities that the Pohlad Companies will sponsor span across a range of social issues. Let’s explore a little of each one.

Greater Twin Cities United Way:

The Greater Twin Cities United Way is a non-profit organization that works to push equity at the forefront of our communities. The organization works on a variety of prevalent issues such as combatting hunger, assisting individuals with life after incarceration, closing the education gap and welcoming new United States citizens to Minnesota for a smooth transition into our society. By galvanizing communities to build prosperity and equity for all, the United Way hopes to cultivate a united community where all people realize their full potential.

Community Shares Minnesota:

Comprised of nearly 50 local non-profits that tackle hard issues at the core, the Community Shares Minnesota is part of a national network of organizations that “connect, fund and raise awareness for community groups fighting for fairness and equality.” The network focuses primarily on improving access to education and healthcare, fighting for human rights, securing affordable housing and effectuating change through the arts. It is also committed to funding social justice by emphasizing equity, diversity, inclusion and the arts.

Community Health Charities:

Community Health Charities empowers people to improve their health and wellbeing by making health and wellness resources available to communities. By doing so, the non-profit organization funds education, treatment, prevention and financial assistance for people with health challenges.

Minnesota Environmental Fund:

Protecting, conserving and restoring Minnesota’s environment is the mission of the Minnesota Environmental Fund. This non-profit encourages workplaces and individuals to support renowned non-profit organizations that work to maintain our beautiful Minnesotan environment. Their efforts include maintaining clean water, lakes, rivers, air, prioritizing healthy food, biodiversity and wildlife, and combatting toxic pollution and laws that ignore environmental issues. Raising more than $13 million since its founding in 1991, the fund hopes to build a “sustainable and just future for Minnesota’s environment.”

United Properties’ Role

Throughout the next couple of weeks, United Properties will host awareness events and invite speakers from each of the organizations to discuss their work and how they enrich our Twin Cities community. Employees are also encouraged to donate money to a charity of their choice through an online donation program called iPledge, and if 45 employees do so by October 15, the company will be given a half-day on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again. Here at United Properties, we’re more than just bricks and mortar – we do more outside of our real estate realm. Through our charitable giving efforts, we invest in and enrich our communities to cultivate healthy and prosperous communities.