Themed "Help Build a Brighter Tomorrow," the state employee charitable campaign initiative seeks to top contributions from last year--despite a bleak economic outlook. Georgia's State Personnel Administration oversees the campaign, which offers more than 1,200 charitable organizations to which state employees can donate.

The campaign includes 44 independent charitable organizations, ranging from Georgia Public Broadcasting, the Arthritis Foundation and Keep Georgia Beautiful to the Georgia Cancer Coalition. Participants can also choose from nine independent charitable federations--such as Community Health Charities of Georgia Inc., Children's Advocacy Centers of Georgia, the Georgia Black United Fund and Global Impact--and 33 United Way chapters.

"There truly is something for everyone here," said Tech Charitable Campaign Co-chair Ralph Mobley, director of Career Services. "People can be certain that their donations are going to the organizations of their choice."

Each faculty and staff member will receive by mail a 2010 State Charitable Contributions Program and a pledge form. Donation through TechWorks is encouraged, as participants can quickly establish either a single dollar amount or an amount to be deducted for each pay period.

Those wishing to donate via the pledge form are asked to give a check with the amount and the form to their department's Charitable Campaign coordinator. For those unable to donate, Mobley asks that the separate Pledge Card be returned either to him via campus mail or to the individual's campaign coordinator.

In 2008, University System of Georgia employees donated $1.361 million. Georgia Tech's faculty and staff were responsible for $311,232, an increase of more than $12,000 from the year prior. The goal this year, Mobley says, is to raise $325,000.

In mid-September, Mobley was presented the Governor's Cup by Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, recognizing that Tech had the largest per capita contributions for an organization of its size. The Institute has won this recognition two years in a row.

The campaign continues through November.