Live United 2010 – meet committee member Michael Crawford, Ph.D.

Michael Crawford, Ph.D.

Throughout this year’s United Way campaign, UNMC Today will profile members of the medical center’s United Way committee.

Today we feature Michael Crawford, Ph.D., director of recreational therapy at the Munroe-Meyer Institute, who has been on the committee for 10 years.

Why do you participate in the campaign every year?

Because my department is almost entirely funded by private foundations, gifts and charities, I feel a particular calling to helping with charitable campaigns and causes. Even though many of the organizations supported by United Way do not directly interact or interface with our services, I feel they are still “sister” programs in the way they depend upon private giving like us in order to fulfill their mission.

Participation rankings Below are the campus participation rankings by unit as of Wednesday afternoon: Chancellor’s unit – 69 percent Allied Health – 59 percent Nursing – 57 percent Academic Affairs – 49 percent Public Health – 42 percent ITS – 37 percent Research – 36 percent Business/finance – 34 percent Eppley Institute – 20 percent Munroe-Meyer – 18 percent Medicine – 16 percent Pharmacy – 14 percent Dentistry – 5 percent

Have you or anyone you know ever benefited from the United Way’s support?

About one-third of the families we provide therapeutic recreation services to live below the poverty line. I know that many of them rely on multiple United Way-funded agencies. Many of these families are single-parent households who really need the support just to keep the home environment running.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your work with the campaign?

I have always been impressed with how the entire UNMC community responds. Many folks who are not directly engaged in family or patient services, i.e. cafeteria workers, housekeepers, electricians, plumbers, groundskeepers, etc. always contribute generously to the campaign. I think this speaks volumes as to how UNMC as an institution can represent a unified commitment to the Omaha metro area.