Each Spring, the University Hill Farms Neighborhood Association conducts a fund drive to benefit certain health-related charitable organizations. Neighborhood "block captains" visit their paid-up members and give them the opportunity to make a donation. All of the work is done by volunteers. There are minor photocopying and postage expenses, but these are paid out of the neighborhood association general fund. Thus, the health fund drive is 100% efficient, with all of the donated money going directly to the specified charities. In recent years, the Health Fund Drive has collected about $27,000 annually.
In exchange, these charitable organizations promise to not contact members themselves, thus relieving the members of unwanted telephone and mail solicitations. For various reasons, members are sometimes contacted anyway, but the net result is a reduction in solicitation.
The following organizations benefit from the drive. When you make a donation, you can specify how it should be split amongst these charities:
| Alzheimer's Association of Central Wisconsin | |
| American Cancer Society, Wisconsin Division | |
| American Heart Association of Wisconsin | |
| American Red Cross, Badger-Hawkeye Chapter | |
| Arthritis Foundation, WI Chapter, SW District | |
| Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Wisconsin Chapter | |
| Hospice Care, Inc. | |
| Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Greater Madison | |
| March of Dimes, Capitol Wisconsin Chapter | |
| Mental Health Center of Dane County, Inc. | |
| Muscular Dystrophy Association of Wisconsin | |
| National Kidney Foundation of Wisconsin | |
| National Multiple Sclerosis Society, WI Chapter | |
| Prader-Willi Association | |
| United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Dane County |
It appears that for technical reasons, donations to the health fund are not tax-deductible. The neighborhood association is looking into a solution to this situation.
Last updated 29 November 2003