With several weeks to go for area United Way campaigns, those involved are reporting mixed results.
At the United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties, Executive Director Terry Capuano said in a recent media release that she was optimistic the campaign would reach its goal of $345,000. Roughly the same amount was raised last year, when the campaign was about $23,000 short of its target.
Contributions from donors were running the same or ahead of last year, she said in the release. She could not be reached for comment Thursday to see how much has been collected so far.
"In this economy, we are so thankful for our faithful donors," Capuano said in the release.
Donations will be accepted through the months of December and January.
Campaign co-chairman Tim McGraw referred questions about donation totals to Capuano. But he said he was also optimistic the campaign will be successful.
"We are keeping our fingers crossed," he said. "It has been a tough year for everyone but people have responded so far."
Anyone who has not contributed should remember that all but 1 percent of the funds collected support programs in the counties, he said.
The funds will be awarded to agencies through a competitive process.
Last year, the agencies that were supported included Opportunities for Otsego, Delaware Opportunities and The Salvation Army.
The picture isn't as rosy at the Chenango United Way, where Executive Director Elizabeth Monaco said "we'd like to get as close to the goal (of $465,000) as possible." As of Thursday, the campaign had raised $400,683, she said. With the same goal last year, the campaign raised more than $500,000.
"It is hard to say what to expect" with the poor economy affecting corporate as well as individual donations, she said. "It has been a very difficult year."
But she said she hopes when people realize one donation to the Chenango United Way will be used to support more than 30 programs in the county, that donations will be received by the end of December to close the gap.
Agencies that received support for their programs last year included the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities and Opportunities for Chenango.
The campaign at the Sidney United Way looks like it will be several thousand dollars short of its goal of $87,000, Executive Director Dennis Porter said. He added that he plans on working until the end of the year to prevent this from happening, but with employment down in the area, the results aren't that surprising.
Last year, the campaign raised $86,400.
If the organization comes up short, the Sidney United Way will still be able to meet its commitments to its member agencies thanks to some contingency funds, Porter said. The member agencies include the Boys & Girls Club of Sidney, Catskill Area Hospice and American Red Cross.
The need is out there, and the agency will try some new methods next year to raise the funds needed to support the agencies that serve the community, he said.
He asked that anyone who is able to make a contribution to the campaign do so before the end of the month.
