The University of Miami is more than half way to its goal of raising $1.2 million for its annual United Way campaign, but a big push is still needed to help the institution reach its mark. UM has extended the deadline to make United Way contributions to Saturday, December 31. If you have not made your pledge, do so today by visiting MyUM.

All University of Miami employees who make their online United Way pledge by Monday, November 28
 will automatically be entered to win two tickets to the February 4, 2012 showing of the Florida Grand Opera La Rondine at the Arsht Center-Ziff Opera House in Downtown Miami. The winner will be notified by December 2.

As part of its United Way fundraising drive, Medical Campus Facilities is selling $1, $2, and $5 raffle tickets for the following items:

• Dell laser printer M5200N – $1

• $50 gift card to Outback Steakhouse – $2

• Two bottles of wine from Selby Winery in Sonoma County and two Riedel Red Wine Extreme Glasses ($110 value) – $2

• Belisi Logan leather laptop bag ($464 value) – $5

• Variety of eight bottles of wine from the Domaine de Nidoléres Winery in the South of France ($200 value) – $5

Tickets are being sold on the Miller School of Medicine campus in the security office located at Dominion Towers Garage, Room 145, and at Dominion Towers Roof Garden W1. The raffle drawing will be held on November 18 at 3 p.m. Proceeds benefit the United Way.

Please contact Cristina Oliver at 305-243-2840 or [email protected] for more information.

Donna Karan addresses more than 1,000 women and others at the 11th annual United Way Women's Leadership Breakfast.

The 11th Annual United Way Women’s Leadership Breakfast was held at UM’s BankUnited Center on September 28, bringing together more than 1,000 of the most driven, influential women in the community to advance United Way of Miami-Dade’s work in education, financial stability, and health. International fashion icon Donna Karan delivered the keynote address at an event that included remarks by Congresswomen Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

“Each and everyone of us has the power to help make the change that’s needed today,” said Karan, who, while still actively engaged in designing, channels much of her time and energy into her Urban Zen Foundation, which she started in 2007 to advance wellness, preserve cultures, and empower children.

Her message echoed many of the principles championed by the United Way, an organization focused on improving education, financial stability, and health.

“Unless we work united, the changes we’re working for won’t happen,” Karan said, urging members of the audience to help create change in schools and health care.

 Her keynote address, delivered to Women Leadership members who have each made an annual gift of $1,000 or more to United Way, came as the University of Miami continued fundraising efforts as part of its United Way campaign, a annual drive that has raised more than $1 million for the past four years in a row.

During the breakfast, UM President Donna E. Shalala, who was honored at the event along with her mother, Edna, noted that one of the most important aspects of UM’s United Way campaign is its large participation rate. She praised UM employees for not only donating funds but also giving “generously of their time and heart.”

“It all comes back to us in one way or another,” President Shalala said at what turned out to be the largest Leadership Breakfast ever.

Breakfast attendees got the opportunity to hear firsthand just how much their United Way dollars have helped, listening to Danielle Cabo, a former runaway, explain how the organization has helped change her life.

“I wake up knowing that today I won’t be abused,” said Cabo, who plans to attend college.

Breakfast co-chairs Susan Miller, a UM trustee, and her daughter, Leslie Miller Saiontz, also spoke at the event, as did Congresswomen Ros-Lehtinen, a UM alumna, and Wasserman-Schultz.

Ros-Lehtinen said that as more and more social services are cut, “we depend on people like you and organizations like United Way to fill in the gaps.”

Wasserman-Schultz asked those in attendance to think about what they could do to improve the lives of children. “The United Way thinks about that every day,” she said.

About 220 University of Miami employees and their guests attended the 2010 United Way Campaign Leadership Reception held March 8 at President Donna E. Shalala’s residence. The annual event recognizes employees who donated at least 1 percent of their salary to the United Way and also honors the many United Way ambassadors who helped spearhead UM’s successful campaign.

In all, UM raised $1.2 million for its 2010 United Way campaign, making this the fifth year in a row the institution has surpassed the million-dollar plateau. “The UM community, from our dedicated employees to our enthusiastic students, once again found a way and a will during challenging economic times to give to a worthwhile cause that will make a tremendous difference in the lives of so many people,” said Rudy Fernandez, vice president of government and community relations, who chaired the campaign.

Above: Yasmin Pedraza, center, an executive assistant in Human Resources, is presented with a certificate of recognition by Harve Mogul, president and CEO of United Way of Miami-Dade, and UM President Donna E. Shalala for serving as an ambassador and helping her division meet its fundraising goal.