United Way celebrates community champions at annual celebration
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The United Way of the CSRA hosted its annual celebration recognizing achievements from 2024 at the Augusta Marriott on Tuesday.
The event honored exceptional fundraising efforts, volunteerism, and corporate engagement, highlighting the power of collective action in driving positive change.
Joe Klecha, 2025 United Way of the CSRA board chair, announced that over $3.3 million was raised during 2024 to critical programs and initiatives. The overall impact — including volunteerism and other efforts beyond fundraising — reached $5.05 million in the CSRA.
3-Degree Guarantee: Salvation Army of Augusta gets $1,000
This year, News 12′s First Alert Weather Team is doing something called the “Three Degree Guarantee”.
The president and CEO of United Way of the CSRA, Brittany Burnett, says the organization helped more than 120,000 people last year.
“Fifty-one percent of households here in the CSRA are struggling in some way and that’s only be exacerbated by the hurricane,” Burnett explained. “So more than half of the community needs our , so today we are here to celebrate people who have gone above and beyond to try and gather from our community. We recognize volunteers and we also realize that our work is not yet done.”
This year’s campaign superlative honorees included:
- Double Impact Award – Augusta Coca-Cola Bottling Co. UNITED
- Volunteer Champion Award – John Deer
- Youth United Award – MJ Henson
- Top Fundraising Schools – Burke County High School, Grovetown Elementary School and Hephzibah Middle School.
- Alvin W. Vogtle Volunteer of the Year Award –Donnell Jenkins at MACH Academy.
- Employee Campaign Managers of the Year – Willie Quinn, Tim Calhoun, and Naomi Harris – Augusta Coca-Cola Bottling Co. UNITED; Morgan Welch and Ethan Guidry – Savannah River Nuclear Solutions; Kayla Smith and Rosa Henson – Southern Nuclear Operating Co. - Plant Vogtle
- 2024 Campaign Associates – Paula Croom – Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (retired); Bernadette Williams – Community Volunteer; Heath Williams – Southern Nuclear - Vogtle 1-4
- Spirit of Community Award – Aurubis Richmond, recognizing its commitment to strengthening the CSRA.
- $20,000+ campaigns: Beasley Broadcasting Group, Centerra, Clearwater Paper, Columbia County School District, Fluor, Palmetto GBA, Richmond County School System, SouthState Bank, SRP Federal Credit Union
- $50,000+ campaigns: Aurubis Richmond, Battelle Savannah River Alliance, Savannah River Mission Completion
- $100,000+ campaigns: Club Car, John Deere, Publix
- $200,000+ campaign: Southern Nuclear
- Top Fundraiser, raising over $246,000: Savannah River Nuclear Solutions
The event was made possible thanks to the of event sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Platinum Sponsors Southern Nuclear and Doctors Hospital, and Silver Sponsor Elliott Davis.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
