Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Adds $1 Million to United Way's Community Challenge Match.

TACOMA, Wash. -- United Way of Pierce County is excited to announce a $1 million pledge from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the 2006 Community Challenge Match.

The unprecedented match program kicked off in February with commitments from three donors totaling $750,000 from Craig & Niki Ueland, Russell Investment Group, and George & Dion Russell.

For each new or increased gift to the Community Solutions Fund in the 2006 United Way of Pierce County campaign, the increased gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar. When matched by gifts from community donors through the workplace campaign and corporate contributions, this community challenge has the potential of increasing dollars invested in the community by $3.5 million to $4.0 million, depending on additional challenge match grantors stepping forward.

"This wonderful challenge matching grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a great boost to our goal of dramatically increasing our community's investment in United Way's Community Solutions Fund," said Craig Ueland, CEO for Russell and United Way of Pierce County's Campaign Chair. "With the challenge matching part of this effort well underway, we are now focusing on substantially increasing support for United Way both in Pierce County's workplace giving campaigns and among this community's leaders. Our success will directly benefit more than 100 worthwhile programs in Pierce County, helping thousands and thousands of our neighbors."

Increased gifts will help fund vital programs in Pierce County, including those that offer dental care for more low-income children, safe place for kids to go after school and affordable housing for working families.

For more information, please contact United Way at 253-272-4263 or visit our website at www.uwpc.org.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to promote greater equity in four areas: global health, education, public libraries, and support for at-risk families in Washington state and Oregon. The Seattle-based foundation joins local, national, and international partners to ensure that advances in these areas reach those who need them most. The foundation is led by Bill Gates's father, William H. Gates Sr., and Patty Stonesifer.