Amid the season of giving, Johnson County employees did just that in 2021 through the county’s three annual fundraising campaigns – United Way, Feed the Need and ArtsKC with accumulative donations of more than $144,000.

On Thursday, Dec. 9, final results and awards were announced for the county’s 2021 designated charitable campaigns during the weekly Board of County Commissioners meeting.

United Way collects $103,673

Bill Nixon, Department of Technology and Innovation, and Brent Christensen, Financial Management and Administration, United Way co-chairs, announced the campaign raised $103,673, including  in-kind value of socks collected and donated by county staff, departmental fundraising events and payroll deductions.  

Various incentives were offered for new donors, new donors giving $52 or more annually and current donors that increased their gift by $2 or more per pay period. The winners of the incentives are: Anna Gordon, Johnson County Library (new donor) – Amazon Fire TV Stick; Lori Winsler, FMA (new donor give $52 or more – RTIC Backpack Cooler; and Thomas Parks, JCL (current donor increasing gift) – Apple Air Pods. 

Awards to departments/agencies/offices included:

• Highest gifts per capita (County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson for a Day): Team Maury 
• Highest percentage of employees participating (Power of Sharing): Budget and Financial Planning, Human Resources, BOCC/CMO.
• Largest per capita donations (Power of Caring): Human Resources, Public Works, BOCC/CMO.

Feed the Need raises $27,140

The Feed the Need campaign from September 2020 to July 2021, with limited in-person activities because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, collected funds and food donations valued at $27,140 that were distributed evenly to 10 Johnson County food pantries.

The District Attorney’s Office won both the Chairman’s Award for most donations by an office and the Commissioner’s Award for most donations per employee. 

The Department of Corrections received the Rick Beckwith Cup for the highest percentage of increased collection over the prior year.

Robert Sullivan, COR, and Joe Connor, CMO, were co-chairs in the campaign.

ArtsKC garners $13,343

The ArtsKC campaign from Aug. 30 to Sept. 30, featuring an online auction of employee artwork, collected $13,343. Campaign co-chairs were Aaron Otto, Johnson County Airport Executive Director, and Beau Boisvert, Johnson County Appraiser.

The Department of Aging and Human Services was awarded the Traveling Trophy for the top department of the highest amount of funds raised for ArtsKC.

The co-chairs extended special thanks to Johnson County employees, United Way ambassadors, Feed the Need and ArtsKC representatives and the Johnson County Developmental Supports Emerging Artists Program, for their hard work, time and dedication in the annual fundraising campaigns with $144,156 in total donations.