I was raised to be a giver. From my earliest memories, I witnessed my mother, Rebecca, consistently giving back of her time, talent, and whatever treasure she could afford. As a neonatal intensive care nurse, my mother’s profession demanded that she give. She worked grueling 12-hour night shifts and celebrated the times when her intervention saved the lives of the babies in her care and enabled them to go home with their families. She also mourned—hard—the times when even her best efforts could not prevent angels.
My mother also never met a fundraiser she didn’t like. She was president of the PTA and raised funds for students, teachers, and the school my sister and I attended. Answering the door to any young person selling their wares to raise money for a cause was a constant in my house growing up. There was no slamming the door. Never a “No, we’re not interested.” Whatever it was, my mother would contribute to try and help. She made our community a better place, and by her example, she taught my sister, Beth, and I to do the same.
When I first moved to Florida, I got involved in the March of Dimes to advocate for prenatal education and to support families with premature babies, motivated by my mother’s example. Today, I am still giving as much as I can. An important channel for my own philanthropy and time is the United Way, and I am thrilled to be co-chairing our UM United Way campaign for 2018 with my colleague Ed Abraham. Just like my mother did, and I try to emulate, the United Way makes our community a better place on a broad scale, helping hundreds of thousands of individuals in Miami and beyond. Our United Way cannot do this critical work without our support. Just this past year, the United Way of Miami-Dade helped more than 1,500 individuals receive shelter, provided more than 500,000 emergency meals, offered 9,541 families access to free tax prep services, receiving $11.5 million in refunds, and so much more.
The 2018 Team UM United Way campaign kicked off on September 4. In the coming weeks, as in years past, United Way ambassadors from across the University will host fundraisers, bake sales, and pizza parties to raise funds. Thousands of you will give, and for that I am deeply grateful.
If you are new to the University and haven’t experienced this special tradition, you will be impressed by this common cause. Together we have raised more than $11 million over the past 10 years for services to our community through the United Way. For those of you who are continuing the tradition of giving to the United Way, I stand with you. Our community needs your ongoing support.
When you consider your gift, I ask that you think of this quote by Charles Dickens: “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
Thank you for all that you do for the University of Miami and Go ’Canes!
Jackie
Executive Vice President for Business and Finance and Chief Operating Officer
Keep the conversation going. Share your comments or feedback on why you give back by leaving a comment on Twitter @JackieTravisano.
Editor’s note: Dr. Travisano's message is the third in what will be an ongoing series of columns written by leaders from across the University.
