The United Way of Greater Rochester, Rochester’s anti-poverty initiative, announced that their goal for the 2016 fundraising campaign is $25 million, which will be given to community organizations that are in need.

“You’re helping kids stay in school and graduate from school on time,” Fran Weisberg, President and CEO of the United Way of Greater Rochester, said. “We’re ensuring that people have basic needs: heat, clothing, transportation.”

Rochester area businesses are looking forward to helping this campaign reach its goal. Businesses like Paychex are providing a lot of creative and financial support to United Way and their campaign.

According to 13-WHAM, the DUBleDown Lip Sync Challenge, which encourages people across Rochester to send videos of them lip-syncing, is helping meet United Way’s $25 million goal. For every 100 lip sync videos that are posted on the website, Paychex will donate $1,000.

In an interview with WXXI, Paychex CEO Marty Mucci believes United Way’s goal will be achieved. “I think there’s a lot of community support for the initiatives that are underway,” Mucci said, “I think the United Way has great momentum right now, and we’re really feeling in the community that while the economy is better, not great, that there’s a lot of support for this.”

United Way hopes this goal can be reached and it does a lot of good for the community in return. Every year in the United States, about 12 million tons of clothing are completely thrown out. Donating those clothes to United Way can help give children new school clothes or put clothes on a homeless person’s back.

There is certainly a lot of excitement from organizations and other people involved around the Rochester area regarding this initiative.

“You’re helping babies get the first best start,” Weisberg said. “What’s very exciting and very heartwarming to me is how the community is coming together.”