The clock is ticking and the United Way still appears to be way off target.
The annual fundraising campaign has 14 days before it hits its deadline, and as of Monday the organization that raises funds for 29 local charities was projecting that it needed another $767,000 to reach that $2.7 million. That's about a $55,000 donation a day.
“We’re lagging behind by about $100,000 (year-to-date)," said United Way campaign chair Walter Flasza. "We’ve done a pretty thorough analysis with the team and we’re hoping that’s the shortfall we can make up. It’s pretty tough to put your finger on it because it was described by someone as being a death by a thousand little cuts. No one single event, or single campaign we can attribute it to. It’s just been a tough year.”
The United Way received a donation of a little more than $29,000 from the Union Gas on Tuesday, a result of an employee campaign at the company.
Campaigns such as those, like the one from municipal workers that brought in more than $200,000 last week, are critical to bringing in large sums of money.
“Our campaign is still out working closing employee campaigns,” Flasza said. “They’re still approaching donors and December is the big month for us because it all culminates.”
The Union Gas campaign had donations from employees matched by the company.
“That’s a record donation for us,” said Union Gas district manager David Sword.
The cheque presentation was held at the headquarters of the Community Clothing Assistance, one of the agencies supported by the United Way.
The United Way helps fund 29 agencies, which supports 64 programs and services across the city.
