“Your community needs you.”
With those words Chatham-Kent United Way campaign chairs Kelly Bayda and Amiee June issued an urgent plea for help for the campaign which projections indicate may fall as much as $200,000 short of its $2,015,000 goal.
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At an emergency media conference held at the New Beginnings headquarters, the duo fought back tears as they described how the campaign shortfall would impact the estimated 40,000 local residents who benefit from the campaign.
“We are not giving up. We can’t give up. There are 40,000 people in Chatham-Kent relying on us, relying on you. These people could be your family, friends, neighbours, or co-workers,” said June.
At present, the campaign is more than $600,000 short, however, based on projected giving, $400,000 should come through by the mid January campaign touchdown.
Bayda and June said the campaign’s success would hinge on giving from average Chatham-Kent citizens.
“We are asking everyone in C-K to step forward in a very big way. We need 783 new ‘Everyday Heroes’ – donors giving a minimum of $365 or $1 per day to achieve our target,” Bayda said. “Many of us in this community are very fortunate in our lives and we are asking you to help others in need.”
They stressed that the donation could be made on behalf of a business, an individual, or a group of friends.
Among those 40,000 helped by a United Way funded agency, program, or service, were listed 6,116 children served through the Chatham-Kent Breakfast Program, 3,169 people who Family Service Kent helped through professional counseling services, the 208 people who were able helped after suffering a brain injury or stroke through the New Beginnings Club House and 684 children who received grief and illness counseling by the VON Kids Circle Program.
“These are real people in our community who need our help,” June said. “There are thousands more like them served by agencies that can’t afford to operate individual fund-raising campaigns. That’s one reason they work with us.”
June said a shortfall would mean reduced programming among United Way agencies and longer wait times.
“We set a goal based on community needs and the agencies and the clients suffer when we don’t make the goal,” she said.
She said funds donated locally are well spent and not wasted. She urged anyone with questions regarding the campaign to do research and call the United Way before believing information on social media.
“Not everything you see on the Internet is true,” she said.
A last minute push allowed the 2014 campaign to top its $1.9 million goal by $14,000.
Donations to the campaign can be made online at www.uwock.ca, over the phone or in person at any of the three office locations. Those wishing to receive a 2015 income tax receipt are encouraged to submit their gift on or before Dec. 31.
Thank you Jim for being there this morning!
Am so pleased to see our local media arrive to convey the S.O.S on behalf of our United Way of Chatham-Kent. I wonder sometimes if the 'stats' presented truly resonate when read – for example, the fact that over 40,000 local residents benefit from donations to the UWofCK… that's not just a number – that's FORTY THOUSAND HUMAN BEINGS who live in our community, in need of some form of assistance. And the projected $$ goal is real too – with the shortfall representing real hardship. Now that our community is aware of the call to action presented through the media, it sure would be great to see this awareness translate from knowing about the need for help, over to connecting with the United Way to make a donation. No matter what the amount – if enough of us step forward, the shortfall will evaporate and real assistance will arrive.