Laboratory employees make record contribution to Santa Fe County 2001 United Way campaign

Contact: Steve Sandoval, steves@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9206 (02-023)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., March 21, 2002 -- Employees from the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory were recognized Wednesday at a ceremony in Santa Fe as the top contributor to the United Way of Santa Fe County’s recently completed 2001 giving campaign.

University of California Laboratory employees pledged or donated $133,208.24 to the Santa Fe campaign, said Tom Meyer, associate director for strategic research. Meyer was Los Alamos’ chairperson for the campaign. The figure includes about $9,100 from the not-for-profit Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation. The total amount pledged or donated to the 2001 campaign by Laboratory workers also is an increase of more than $40,000 from the previous campaign.

The amount is the largest ever donated by one organization to the United Way of Santa Fe County. The Laboratory received a plaque at United Way of Santa Fe County’s awards reception in the downtown Eldorado Hotel. “Our Los Alamos employees can take pride in this accomplishment,” said Laboratory Director John Browne. “Once again, Laboratory personnel have shown through their generosity that their community is important to them and that they are eager to help the less fortunate.”

“The growing strength of the relationship between the Laboratory and United Way of Santa Fe County is something we’re very happy about,” said Ron Stevens, United Way of Santa Fe County executive director. “The donations will be used to help children learn and grow, encourage self-sufficiency, provide services to the elderly and promote health and healing.”

Los Alamos’ Meyer noted that the Laboratory also received the Sangre de Cristo Society Award from United Way of Santa Fe County. The award is given to companies or organizations with the largest number of $500 or greater donors. Eighty-one Los Alamos employees made pledges or donations of $500 or greater during the recent campaign, an increase of 35 from the 2000 campaign, said Stevens.

The 2001 United Way of Santa Fe County campaign raised $1.3 million, a 6 percent increase over last year, according to Stevens.

The most recent Los Alamos/Northern New Mexico United Way campaign raised $1,071,000, surpassing the campaign goal of $800,000, said Raul Rodriguez, executive director of the Los Alamos/Northern New Mexico United Way. Of that amount, University of California Laboratory employees pledged or donated $688,000, he said.

Last year, UC Laboratory employees gave about $613,000 to United Way of Los Alamos and Northern New Mexico.

In addition to the pledges and donations from Laboratory personnel, the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation donated $50,000 to the Los Alamos/Northern New Mexico United Way campaign.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA’s Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, developing technical solutions to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.