United Way Wins Fundraising Award

The United Way of Central Florida has been presented the prestigious 2010-2011 Population Fleur-de-Lis Award for net increase in community impact dollars raised. Each year United Way Worldwide recognizes the top performing communities whose Tocqueville Societies show outstanding growth in both numbers and dollars from the previous year. The Fleur-de-Lis Awards are the highest level of achievement and recognition that a local Tocqueville Society can achieve within the United Way System.

In 2010, local Tocqueville donors gave $235,148 over the previous year ($3,708,625 was raised in 2010 and $3,473,477 was raised in 2009), an increase of 27%. The Tocqueville Society and the Démocratié Society are both a part of the United Way's Leadership Giving Association. Peter Munson served as the Chair of the Tocqueville Committee and Weymon Snuggs served as the Chair of the Démocratié Committee.

The Tocqueville Society is named after Alexis de Tocqueville, a noted philanthropist who came to America from France in 1831 at the age of 26. Mr. de Tocqueville admired our country's spirit of voluntary association and effort for the common good.

The United Way of Central Florida Tocqueville Society was established in 1987. It has carried on and recognizes the understanding, commitment and support that lives in the heart of our most generous donors. Membership into the Toqueville Society is granted to individuals and families who invest $10,000 or more annually to the United Way. The Démocratié Society was recently created to recognize another integral part of our Leadership Giving Association. Membership into the Démocratié Society is granted to individuals and families who invest $5,000 to $9,999 annually to the United Way.

It is this outstanding volunteer service and leadership that helps improve the lives and conditions in our community. For more information, contact Christina Criser Smith at 863-648-1500 ext. 246.