Community Giving Campaign in Rochester nets $1.7 million for community, surprise for dedicated Mayo donor

As part of Mayo Clinic’s work with United Way, staff can donate to a nonprofit organization of their choosing or give to a general United Way fund. The campaign in Rochester raised $1.7 million dollars for the community, and won Jamie Urch, a dedicated Mayo donor, the use of a new car for two years from Rochester Motor Cars and United Way of Olmsted County.

Years ago, Jamie Urch, a nurse in Hematology in Rochester, set up a recurring donation through Mayo Clinic’s Community Giving Campaign. This year, that donation won her the use of a new car for two years from Rochester Motor Cars and United Way of Olmsted County.

Urch’s donation is one of 3,447 made in 2021 by staff in Rochester. The Community Giving Campaign raised more than $1.7 million.

As part of Mayo Clinic’s work with United Way, through the Community Giving Campaign, staff can donate to any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of their choosing or give to a general United Way fund. 100% of those donations go directly to charities.

For her donations, Urch chose Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library — a program that mails free books to children. Urch has met local families who have received books as part of the program. She appreciates that through Mayo Clinic’s relationship with United Way, 100% of her donation can go to the program of her choosing.

Community giving advocates

This year, 350 staff in Rochester served as community giving advocates to promote the campaign to colleagues within their work areas.

Urch has worked at Mayo Clinic for nearly 40 years and served as an advocate for Mayo Clinic’s Community Giving Campaign in Rochester for several of those years. She knows of one colleague who has been donating through the campaign for eight years because of her work as an advocate.

“The statistics are amazing, showing more people donate when there is an advocate,” Urch says. “It’s amazing what one advocate promoting the campaign can do.”

As a community giving advocate, Urch learned about the impact of even small donations and grew to appreciate how Mayo Clinic’s work with United Way makes it easy for staff to support their community.

“I find it such a great way to contribute to our community,” Urch says. “I especially appreciate being able to choose the nonprofit recipient of my donation.”

Reward for dedicated donor

The car that Urch won for two years was the grand prize in United Way of Olmsted County’s first Give United drawing. The United Way teamed up with Rochester Motor Cars to give one lucky person a free two-year lease on a new car. Participants could make a monetary donation, such as those donated through Mayo Clinic’s campaign, or write a 100-word essay about why they like living in Olmsted County.

Urch describes shock and disbelief in the days since learning she won, as well as her appreciation for a great experience working with Rochester Motor Cars.

The award could not have come at a better time for Urch. The vehicle she had been driving was aging rapidly. She was needing an upgrade soon to continue to be able to visit her family in the Twin Cities.

Rochester Motor Cars allowed her to put the value of the two-year lease toward purchasing a new car outright, and the car arrived this month.

Giving back is its own reward

Urch wants to remind her colleagues of the opportunity they have to give as part of Mayo Clinic’s Community Giving Campaign. She is continually surprised at the impact even a small gift can make. She appreciates the options available to make giving easy, including recurring donations and donations deducted directly from a paycheck.

While the grand prize is an incredible perk for Urch, she also appreciates being able to give back to her community. She encourages her colleagues to do the same.