Employee giving surpasses goal for the year

The Building Relationships in Department Giving Every Day (BRIDGE) Campaign, an employee-giving initiative at Southern Adventist University, surpassed its all-time goal after the campaign came to a close on March 15. 

According to information found on Southern’s website, the BRIDGE Campaign, orchestrated by Southern's Advancement office, encourages faculty and staff members to give to various scholarships, projects and endowments on campus. 

The campaign originally began on Feb. 20 with the goal of reaching 73 percent participation from employees, according to Sandra Delgado, Annual Giving coordinator. 

At the end of its month-long campaign, 353 faculty and staff members had made a gift resulting in 77 percent participation. 

This year’s campaign theme was “Built on a Legacy of Giving.” Delgado said she wanted to share stories with themes of courage, sacrifice and service with Southern employees,  reminding them that current generosity was built on a legacy of giving. 

“This year we decided to focus on the legacy of sacrificial giving handed down from Southern’s founders. The truth is, we see the same spirit demonstrated in our employees today,” Delgado said. 

Twenty-two out of 53 departments reached 100 percent participation by the end of this campaign. Employees were given many different options as to where to share their gifts. They are able to donate to different causes such as missions, the student food pantry, Southern trails and the upcoming Bietz Center for Student Life. Participants were able to enter drawings and win prizes, which ranged from free Kayak smoothies to an additional vacation day.  

The School of Nursing is one of the departments that reached 100 percent participation.

“We give because we love Southern and we love our students,” said Holly Gadd, dean of Nursing. “Giving is what it is all about- sharing God’s love every day in all sorts of ways, helping students learn and succeed; providing money for scholarships and other needs. Jesus’ words are true: It is better to give than to receive.”

Employees make recurring gifts through payroll deduction. A total of $42,848 has been donated so far, according to the Advancement office. The final number will be recorded at the end of the fiscal year on May 31. 

“Faculty and staff consistently pour themselves into our students with their time, talent and treasure,” Delgado said. “ That makes Southern special. It shows a committed workforce, dedicated to our mission.”