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AUW sets loftier goal
New name for hot line By Treena Shapiro
for 2000 campaign
Star-BulletinAloha United Way's campaign goal for this year will be $13.5 million, $100,000 above the amount raised last year.
Keith Vieira, senior vice president for Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, will chair the general campaign.
The nonprofit agency's 2000 marketing campaign features University of Hawaii football coach June Jones in television spots that began airing recently.
The Jones spots focus on the idea that there is more than one way to be a hero.
"We look at our donors as heroes of the community," said Trudie China, AUW spokeswoman. "That's the way we support our community and give back."
The people who benefit from the 65 agencies the nonprofit supports are heroes in a different way, China said. "The people who change their lives with the help of our services ... those are the people you'll see in the campaign."
Navigator Nainoa Thompson will appear in this year's seven-minute campaign video, used for workplace campaigns. Two-thirds of Aloha United Way's donations come from individual donations, China said. The remainder come from corporate gifts and donations from foundations.
Aloha United Way is the only nonprofit that considers the needs of the whole community, meeting the health and human services needs of the community, China said. "It's unique in that way."
The organization launched its Pacesetter Campaign on June 15. About 30 companies start their workplace campaigns in advance of the general campaign, so by the time the general campaign begins on Sept. 12, it should already have a couple million dollars toward its goal, she said.
The general campaign will last through Oct. 27.
Popular hot line
Star-Bulletin staff
celebrates 10 years
with name changeYou'll now have to Ask Aloha United Way if you want to access the familiar hot line, but you'll still be dialing ASK-2000 to call it up.
The community information and referral service celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, said Dorothy Colby, Ask Aloha United Way director. "In the 10 years we've been open, we've made 1 million contacts, distributed information a million times."
The hot line receives 60,000 phone calls a year. Hits on a companion Web site have been increasing monthly since the Internet service started in 1997.
The confidential service provides detailed information about 4,000 community services, including family, recreation, health, educational, and consumer/community services.
It also offers people access to and sometimes initial screening for programs offering emergency food and financial assistance, immunizations and children's health insurance.
The name change reflects the hot line's affiliation with Aloha United Way, which took over operation of the hotline last April.
"We are now a direct public service of Aloha United Way and we want to publicize it," Colby said.
Expect print ads, bus posters and radio spots to be popping up next month, not only announcing the name change, but also expanded services, such as toll-free service from the outer islands, a searchable database on the organization's Web site, and a CD-ROM, which has the software used by Ask Aloha United Way's information referral people.
"Phone, Internet, computer ... We're trying to cover all the bases of getting that information out there."
The hot line can be reached on Oahu at 275-2000 (ASK-2000), toll-free from the neighbor islands at 1-877-275-6569 or information can be accessed on the Internet at www.askalohaunitedway.org
