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United Way of Dutchess County’s 2010 Campaign will kick off Sept. 10 at a breakfast meeting from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel, 40 Civic Center Plaza, Poughkeepsie.

Community Fund dollars raised during the annual campaign, which ends Dec. 9, are used to support partnerships with community organizations that help United Way meet its mission to make measurable improvements in the lives of Dutchess County residents.

The mission focuses on helping children and youth achieve their potential through education; assisting individual and families to become financially stable and independent; and improving our neighbors’ health by increasing access to testing and preventive care, child abuse and domestic violence prevention, and healthy food.

“More than 50,000 county residents used a service funded by United Way of Dutchess County last year – that is one in six of your friends, colleagues and neighbors,” said Board of Governors Chair Sheila Appel. “This was made possible through the generous donations of our community members. This year our partners’ services are being sought even more, many times by families and individuals who have never needed to ask for help in the past.”

“These are difficult economic times for many of our neighbors and friends,” said Barry Rothfeld, Campaign Chair. “Our community is very generous and we hope those who give regularly to United Way of Dutchess’ annual campaign will give just a little more this year. We also would like to add more new donors this year as well as increase the number of workplace campaigns that are run.”

Keynoter for the kick-off breakfast is Bill Toliver, executive director of strategy for Seattle-headquartered The Matale Line, a branding and communications agency dedicated to social change. The company provides strategic counsel and creative services to nonprofits, foundations and non-governmental organizations.

Toliver has helped a number of international nonprofits and foundations including The U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Oprah Winfrey foundations, reframe their approach to strategic decision-making and communications. He also spent 20 years developing successful branding and communications programs for Fortune 500 clients like Westin Hotels and Hewlett-Packard.

A special feature of the annual kick-off breakfast is the presentation of the Alexis de Tocqueville Community Service Award. This year it will be presented to longtime community volunteer and retired educator Lorraine M. Roberts, said Appel. “We are pleased to honor Lorraine who is the embodiment of what the award is all about: unflagging service to our community. She has served on our board and as a board member and volunteer for a wide range of community and educational organizations.”

Sponsors for the 2010 Annual Campaign are IBM Corp.; Poughkeepsie Journal; Marshall & Sterling; Iseman, Cunningham, Riester & Hyde; Vassar Brothers Medical Center; and JetBlue Airways.

For more information about the 2010 Campaign or to purchase an ad in our event program, call 845-471-1900 x115.