UPDATE (Dec. 6): UT Southwestern employees have now raised over $233,000 for the SECC. The deadline to donate has been extended through Dec. 9.

We’re halfway through the State Employee Charitable Campaign! With a goal of raising $400,000, employees are sharing why they give and having fun along the way.

Everybody loves puppies and candy, especially when they’re used for a good cause. And so far, puppies, candy, and some really dedicated employees have helped UT Southwestern raise more than $75,000 for the State Employee Charitable Campaign. But with a goal of raising $400,000 by the end of November, there’s still a long way to go.

The SECC is the only statutorily authorized workplace campaign for state agency and higher education employees throughout Texas. Thanks to legislation that created the SECC in 1993 – that’s 25 years ago – employees throughout Texas enjoy the benefit of contributing to many of their favorite charities through an annual workplace giving campaign that provides the convenience of payroll deduction.

Many employees find it’s a way to give to several charities that are important to them in one easy step.

“I give through the SECC because many of the organizations I support are already part of the SECC campaign,” said Patrice Griffith, Director of Quality, Safety, and Business Outcomes. “Donating through the SECC is just easy – I would donate to these organizations anyway, and I can make my donations through payroll deduction. This makes it easy to track and I don’t have to write any checks or go to multiple sites to donate.” 

It really is that easy:

1. Log in to the PeopleSoft 9.2 portal by entering your username and password.
2. If it is not already showing, select Employee Self Service from the drop-down menu on top of the main page.
3. Click on the Payroll
4. Select “Make Charity Contribution” on the left menu. (Click Previous Contributions” to view prior-year donations.)

Check out these detailed directions and screenshots for payroll deduction, or get more details (including how to donate with a check or cash).

If there’s a cause that’s dear to your heart, there’s probably a charity pertaining to it in the list of more than 500 agencies available.

A mini wishing well in which employees can drop their contributions.

“It is always placed on my heart to give,” said Demetria Wilson, Division Administrator in Allergy and Immunology, who gives to a shelter for women and children. “Anything that I can give or do for battered women and children, I am all for it. I pray that my contribution would help transform lives, give women the ability to free themselves of domestic violence.”

Want to get your department involved? Turn on your creativity to raise funds with puppies or candy – or take an idea from Bill Van Derveer in Facilities Management, who built a mini wishing well in which employees could drop their contributions.

He quips: “Let’s never let the well run dry!”