Tulsa Area United Way Surpasses Its 2011 Campaign Goal

The United Way celebrates the generosity of Oklahoma's Own. Overnight Thursday night and Friday morning, the lights of the BOK tower showed it surpassed its goal for its 2011 campaign.

The Tulsa Area United Way announced on Thursday evening it had raised $24,746,883 for its 61 partner agencies.

That total represents an increase of $190, 310 above the original goal of $24,556,573.

"This year's campaign was truly a community-wide effort, with more than 1,500 companies and organizations participating, and 50,000 individuals making contributions," said Jim Bender, senior vice president and general counsel for Williams, who served as chairman of this year's TAUW Campaign Cabinet.

In its 87-year history, the Tulsa Area United Way has raised and invested more than $593 million in the Tulsa area.

TAUW has earned a four-star rating in organizational efficiency by Charity Navigator for operating expenses of 9.37 percent, placing it in the top three percent of the most efficient United Ways in the U.S.