COLUMBIANA COUNTY United Way director gives update on campaign progress

Donations are ahead of the same time last year.
SALEM -- Officials with United Way Services of Northern Columbiana County hope to raise $130,000 in November to meet the $290,000 goal for 21 agencies served.
Ray Maurer, executive director, said the campaign will continue at least through the end of November.
He said the $160,000 raised so far represents about 60 percent of the goal and is about 10 percent ahead of last year's campaign at this time.
Maurer said there are some pledge cards not yet received from corporations that always donate and usually respond late in the campaign.
The United Way kicked off the 2001 fund drive Sept. 12.
Columbiana County commissioners also recently agreed to permit county employees to donate to United Way through payroll deduction. Maurer said county employees will receive information about the program Friday.
Agencies that benefit: Roger Hack, board president, said the campaign is a concerted effort to ensure that member agencies have money to combat problems such as hunger, homelessness, domestic violence, troubled youth and disabilities, and support Scouting, counseling, day care, health services, education, recreational activities and more, he said.
Hack said if donors give by making their checks payable to the Salem Community Foundation for United Way, the Salem Community Foundation will give a 10 percent matching gift.
He said services provided by United Way member agencies in northern Columbiana County "reach into every neighborhood, to every age group, across all income levels, to help in a thousand ways a friend, a relative, someone down the street who is ill, out of work or in trouble."
Hack said statistically, one in four residents receive some form of benefit from one of the United Way agencies.
Money stays in county: Donations stay in Columbiana County, with less than 15 cents of each dollar put toward administrative costs, he said.
Any nonprofit, charitable group may apply for inclusion in United Way, but some agencies are forbidden by their national organization from doing so, may not want to be bound by United Way rules, or may not meet United Way qualifications, Hack explained.
United Way Services of Northern Columbiana County serves the northern portions of the county including Columbiana, East Palestine, Hanoverton, Leetonia, Lisbon, New Waterford, Rogers, Salem, Salineville, Summitville and Washingtonville areas.