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Reggie Witherspoon is head men's basketball coach and chair of the 2005 SEFA campaign.
Let's start with the basics—what is SEFA?
SEFA stands
for the State Employees Federated Appeal. It is the only authorized
workplace solicitation for charitable concerns outside of the
university.
What types of agencies and organizations benefit from SEFA?
More than 600 organizations locally, nationally and internationally
benefit from SEFA—everything from child and family service groups
and boys and girls clubs to the SPCA and Habitat for Humanity and
more.
What's the goal for this year's campaign?
The monetary
goal has been set at $900,000, but what's most important is the
thousands of people who will be helped by UB's contributions this year.
I believe in focusing on the small steps it takes to run a successful
campaign and not just focusing on the dollar goal—successfully
taking care of the "little things" will result in a successful campaign.
The little things include ensuring that all employees respond,
motivating new employees and nongivers to become contributors and
encouraging current givers to give just a little bit more.
What's new about the campaign this year?
We're really
focusing on the theme: "SEFA...is about people." So many of us have been
touched by SEFA agencies, either through our own experiences or those of
our friends, family and coworkers. Sharing those experiences with
others really makes the "giving" part of SEFA more real—through a
series of weekly poster releases, we've been able to showcase UB faculty
and staff who have had wonderful experiences with SEFA, both as givers
to agencies and recipients of services.
Western New Yorkers have been very generous in contributing to
Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Has this affected the SEFA/United Way
campaigns?
I think it has, but in a positive way. Many of the
individuals devastated by Hurricane Katrina were living in devastation
beforehand. Hurricane Katrina has put a face on the needs of the needy.
Through SEFA, we can put a face on the gift of giving. Sometimes
horrific events put people in the "giving mood." I think that's what
we're experiencing now—a gratefulness for our good fortunes and a
need to help others. In fact, at the very beginning of this year's SEFA
campaign, more than $3,000 was collected in cash donations of pocket
change that's now being used to help provide some basic needs for a
mother and two teen-age children from New Orleans who are trying to
rebuild a life in Western New York.
We all have only so much money to contribute to charities. Why is
it important that we continue to support SEFA?
There are many
good reasons to give through the university SEFA campaign:
SEFA is part of the community culture at UB. With UB as one of Western New York's largest and most stable employers, it is a significant signal to our local community when UB supports SEFA so generously.
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Everyone's gifts help so many people, including their coworkers and maybe, one day, themselves.
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There are hundreds of agencies to which to designate a gift, so everyone can find at least one SEFA agency that's meaningful to them and their families.
How can members of the UB community contribute to SEFA?
A
great feature of the SEFA campaign are the flexible giving
options—a one time donation (by check or charge) or through payroll
deduction. Almost 70 percent of UB's gifts are made through payroll
deduction.
What question do you wish I had asked, and how would you have
answered it?
Why did I agree to be SEFA chair? I was honored
that President Simpson and Provost Tripathi asked me to lead this year's
campaign. I'm a Buffalo native, grew up right next to the South Campus and
have spent many years around UB. I also have the opportunity through my
current role as head coach to speak to many community groups and
organizations—I see the needs of the people of this community so
often. It's my way of giving back to a community that has given me so
much. If we can all work together to achieve our small goals, the end
goal we reach—$900,000 or more—will go a long way in helping
so many.