A message from President Brody and
Campaign Chair Jim Zeller

Imagine.  Webster’s defines the word as the ability to bring something before the mind that is not actually present.  Johns Hopkins alumnus and U.S. President, Woodrow Wilson, imagined universal peace and liberty.  Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of harmony, freedom and equality.  John Lennon took up the theme and asked us to imagine a world where all live as one.

Unfortunately, in our community there are many things for which no imagination is required:  Crime. Addiction. Abuse. Homelessness. Broken Families.  These problems are all too real for many of our neighbors and solving these problems will demand much more than imagination.  Thankfully, we have United Way of Central Maryland to lead the way in imagining solutions and then taking concrete action to address the tough issues we face in Central Maryland.

We have some particularly exciting news this year with the creation of the Johns Hopkins University Neighborhood Fund.  Within the next several weeks, you will receive a letter from your vice president, dean or director that discusses the issues that are important to your school, center, institute or office.  Many of the needs of the Baltimore metropolitan region align with research and community outreach activities in the divisions of Johns Hopkins.  The JHU Neighborhood Fund will focus on assisting organizations that benefit the communities surrounding our campuses, which also have a strong relationship with the university and its employees.

So please make a decision to help by donating to this year’s campaign.  Imagine how our community can become a better place for all.  Imagine what you can do.

Sincerely,