This podcast is an interview with United Way of the Brazos Valley president Alison Prince, Texas A&M coordinator for the state employee charitable campaign Kim Fox, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

The annual state employee charitable campaign (SECC), which is administered regionally by United Way of the Brazos Valley (UWBV), is underway.

UWBV president Alison Prince says the response at Texas A&M and the A&M system is better than last year. During the first week, contributions totaled $160,000 dollars.

Not only is that 30 percent of the A&M and system goal, A&M campaign coordinator Kim Fox says that is a 35 percent increase over the same period last year.

A&M president Michael Young and system chancellor John Sharp are offering prizes for university and system employees who participate through September 15.

Prince thanked the volunteer SECC coordinators along with state employees from other agencies, which in the UWBV service area includes the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Texas Department of Health and Human Services.

Through October 31, state employees are invited to make direct contributions to 28 local charities in the UWBV service area and more than 1,000 organizations statewide.

More information is online at secctexas.org.