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Larson Design Group (LDG) recently welcomed representatives from the Williamsport Area School District Education Foundation (WASDEF) to its Williamsport office to present a check to the foundation for $3,463, the amount that LDG is donating to the nonprofit’s annual employee giving campaign. This support helps promote their mission of creating powerful classrooms and inspiring futures by supporting educational innovation, the arts, athletics and scholarships.
The campaign ran from December 2020 to the end of January and encouraged WASD employees to enroll in either an ongoing payroll deduction program or to make a one-time contribution to support the district’s nonprofit affiliate. As a corporate partner in the campaign, LDG promised to match those donations up to $5,000.
“LDG was pleased to partner with the WASD and support a foundation that provides crucial funding and programs for the district,” said LDG President & CEO David Martin. “Community stewardship is a core value at LDG, where we aim to enrich the places in which we live and work. No effort is more valuable to that goal than ensuring the success of students and educators alike.”
“We’re extremely grateful for having LDG partner with us on this year’s campaign,” said WASDEF Executive Director Greg Hayes. “Because of their generous commitment, we were able to double every new and increased pledge WASD employees made to the foundation through our payroll deduction program this year.”
During the 2019-2020 school year, the foundation’s employee giving campaign raised more than $4,500 in new and increased commitments, representing a 48% increase in annual contributions from the previous year. Total contributions received by the foundation through its payroll program at the end of last school year amounted to more than $6,750.
District employees who enroll in the payroll deduction program can choose to support the foundation’s Annual Fund, Teacher Mini-Grant Program Fund, or both.
This year, the foundation raised $3,463 in new and increased pledges with a 10% increase in overall participation. That brings the total number of contributing employees to 110, accounting for what will now become about $10,000 year in revenue from the district’s employee base.
“We like to say it’s one of the easiest ways to give, and we’ve been very pleased and grateful for the response we’ve gotten,” Hayes said. “A small bi-weekly contribution deducted from each paycheck, at a $1 minimum, can add up to make a huge difference within the larger volume of support.”
Last year, the education foundation generated $424,179 in total revenue, and granted $67,503 to support district programs and scholarships.
Over the last decade, WASDEF has granted more than $2.2 million to the school district to help fund capital projects, innovative programs and initiatives, and scholarships to graduating seniors. In that same period of time, the foundation also has grown by more than $1 million in total net assets.
Founded in 2004, WASDEF is the recognized nonprofit affiliate of the Williamsport Area School District. The education foundation facilitates charitable giving and permanent legacies based on individual areas of interest in educational innovation, the arts, athletics and scholarships. For more information, visit www.wasdeducationfoundation.org.
Founded in 1986, Larson Design Group is an award-winning national architecture, engineering and consulting firm with 12 offices in five states and a vision to elevate client relationships, enrich the careers and lives of its employee-owners, and enhance the communities in which it operates. Learn more at www.larsondesigngroup.com.