THUNDER BAY -- Joanne Kembel says the 2015 United Way campaign still feels like a victory, even though the charity fell $7,799 short of its target.
The United Way of Thunder Bay’s executive director on Thursday revealed it collected $2,654,870, but given they were tracking $100,000 behind their goal in early December, the shortfall shouldn’t hurt their ability to provide services to more than two dozen community agencies.
“It feels like a victory for our community and 64 programs that are reliant on the funds that we raise through our campaign,” Kembel said.
Last year’s total was set a dollar shy of the 2014 campaign’s haul, a reasonable figure in the eyes of the fundraising committee.
But the campaign struggled in the early going, trying to make up about $50,000 in one-time gifts given a year earlier in recognition of the organization’s 50th anniversary.
“We did not get those in 2015,” Kembel said.
“As well as that, our special events were not as successful as they’d been in the previous year. In the spring, we knew we were significantly short. How did we make that up? Our employee campaigns were really phenomenal, where people give in the workplace.”
Corporate and individual gifts also helped fill the gap.
“They really rose to the occasion,” Kembel said. “When we put out the appeal in November we received second gifts and substantial gifts and the community really came together with its big heart to help minimize the shortfall.”
Jered Zieroth, assistant director of the United Way of Thunder Bay, said the shortfall shouldn’t have too much of an impact, though as always, they won’t be able to meet 100 per cent of everyone’s requests.
“Coming in just shy of the goal, basically we’re right there. So it really does feel like we’ve made it.”
Zieroth said the United Way affects a broad range of people in Thunder Bay, with one in three utilizing services sponsored by the charity.
“It’s holding up a corner of our community and if those supports weren’t there, our community would be a very different place to live and work in.”
