UCSF Kicks Off Employee Giving Program

UCSF is again sponsoring an Employee Giving Program, the annual opportunity for faculty and staff to give what they can to support and strengthen the community, both here and afar.

As the second largest employer in San Francisco, UCSF benefits from an incredibly talented and diverse workforce of 23,000 people, who hail from all parts of the country and world. Each member contributes in ways large and small to the University's incredible work to provide patient care, educate future health professionals and conduct cutting-edge research.

In a message to the UCSF community, Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, thanked employees for their ongoing dedication and hard work.

“The collective passion and effort of our faculty and staff drive UCSF’s success in advancing health worldwide, and together we are shaping the future of medicine,” she said. "I invite you to participate in the UCSF Employee Giving Program. Last year, I was thrilled to see a significant increase in participation in employee giving. I encourage faculty and staff members to make contributions — of any size — to causes that are most personally meaningful, whether a UCSF program, or a local or national organization.”

In the Employee Giving Program, employees can make a single one-time contribution online or by check or spread their gift across several months through payroll deductions. 

Through UCSF’s partnership with Community Health Charities of California, UCSF faculty and staff may make annual contributions to external nonprofit organizations, like the American Red Cross, which continues to assist victims of Hurricane Sandy. Many remain displaced after their homes were destroyed or severely damaged on Monday. The deadline to make donations to external organizations through payroll deduction is Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012.

This year, UCSF is sharing the stories of five members of the University community who tell why they have donated through the employee giving program in the past. Here’s part of what they had to say in videos posted on YouTube:

Todd McGregor

Todd McGregor, 
manager, 
UCSF Housing Services:

“I support research at UCSF. My friends and neighbors who are HIV-positive have been helped by drug therapies but the side effects compromise their quality of life. I believe UCSF through its ground breaking research is a place where a cure may be found.”

J. Renee Navarro, PharmD, MD

J. Renee Navarro, PharmD, MD,
vice chancellor,
 UCSF Diversity and Outreach:

“UCSF is a unique institution. Our sole mission is to promote health worldwide. That requires us to have a diverse and nurturing environment to encourage collaboration across our wide spectrum of patient care, research and education programs. I am pleased that my contribution to UCSF will help expand our diversity and outreach efforts which will lead to greater recognition of this esteemed institution.”

Nalin Gupta, MD, PhD

Nalin Gupta, MD, PhD, 
director, UCSF Pediatric Neurological
Surgery Program:

“As a faculty member I can help set a tone for the importance that philanthropy plays in our research and clinical care. Science is expensive. I see how gifts of all sizes make an impact, from buying badly needed equipment to helping students have a greater educational experience at UCSF.”

Jan Mantle

Jan Mantle, analyst, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center:

“My husband seriously injured his ankle in a skiing accident. One doctor said it was likely his foot would have to be amputated if we chose to surgically repair the ankle. We received a second opinion from a UCSF specialist who performed successful surgery, and saved his foot. I made a gift to support the exceptional care, dedication and skill provided by UCSF.”

Jay Harris

Jay Harris,
 associate director, 
UCSF Medical Center:

“I believe in the exciting new hospital we are developing at Mission Bay and I wanted to lead by example in employee giving. Payroll deduction is also a convenient way for me to make installments on my gift.”

Ruby Ejercito

Ruby Ejercito, 
clinical nurse, 
Adult Transplant:

“I have been a kidney/liver transplant nurse at UCSF for 10 years. At UCSF, nursing plays an important role to provide the excellent care and compassion to all of our patients in need. I wanted to give back to the UCSF community.”