MERCER CO. United Way to fall short

The agency still expects to meet its commitments.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
SHARON, Pa. -- It looks like the United Way of Mercer County won't make its 2000 campaign goal.
The $1.1 million goal announced last fall seemed reachable, based on the 1999 campaign performance and the state of the local economy, said Jim Micsky, executive director.
It hasn't turned out that way, however.
The fund drive, launched in September, stood at about $996,000 last week, and Micsky said the prospects for coming up with an additionalr $100,000 aren't good.
"We do need to pass the $1 million mark," he said, noting that 23 human service agencies are relying on the United Way to come up with some funding for their operations this year.
A few more appeals: There will be some more money coming in over the next few weeks, he said, noting that the United Way has been making appeals to several sizable Shenango Valley employers over the past couple of weeks, asking their employees to contribute.
Duferco Farrell Corp., with about 500 workers, had asked that its employees not be approached until now, and pitches also were made in February to Sharon Regional Health System and UPMC Horizon.
"We have to be sensitive to the employers," Micsky said, explaining that the United Way makes employee presentations when it is most convenient to the employers, even if the timing might not correspond with the annual campaign.
The 1999 campaign also ran six months, but it was able to just surpass its $1,050,000 goal.
The organization then allocated nearly $840,000 to its agencies.
Request list ready: "We're probably going to be very close to that this year," Micsky said, noting that the United Way review of agency requests has been completed and a list of recommended allocations will be presented to the UW board of directors Monday.
The United Way maintains a paid staff of three people.
"It's been a difficult time," Micsky said, adding, "We'll get through this and be stronger for it."
He said a variety of factors may have caused the slowdown in fund raising.
"I was kind of blindsided by this," he said.
People were suddenly hit with high utility costs, a couple of large manufacturers in the county shut down, the stock market began experiencing wild fluctuations and there was a general downturn in the economy at the end of the year.
All of those things made people take a second look at their charitable contributions, Micsky said.