PA. UNITED WAY Nonprofits fight to obtain more contributions

The United Fund in Ellwood City finished its fund drive short of its goal.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- It seems that each year it takes longer and longer for that red thermometer to reach its goal.
The United Way of Lawrence County -- which posts the thermometers throughout the county to gauge its yearly fund-raiser -- has again extended its goal for 2004. Officials say they are unsure how long it will take to reach the $700,000 mark, but they will continue making calls and looking for donations. As of Friday, the fund drive was at 88 percent, or $618,544.
"We are still plugging ahead. We are just pulling in some of the last dollars," said Gayle Young, executive director of the United Way.
She hopes to meet the goal by March. The group never met its $720,000 goal last year before deciding to give up in February, she said.
Young blames last year's lows in the stock market for the decreased giving. She said this year they decided to scale back their goal in hopes of meeting it.
Not reaching that fund-raising goal isn't just a local problem.
Anthony Ross, spokesman for the Pennsylvania United Way, said many of the community United Ways have had to extend their regular drives or stop collecting short of their goals in the last few years.
"The United Ways as charitable organizations in general have struggled to meet their fund-raising goals across Pennsylvania," Ross said. "It really mirrors the condition of that community. If a community has experienced lay-offs or economic downturn, it will show up in the charitable giving."
Similar problems
Ellwood City's United Fund -- the local organization akin to the United Way -- has also felt the sting of fewer donations.
Richard Basile, executive director, said he believes people are just stretching their charitable dollars to more organizations and that is why United Fund is coming up short.
The group decided this week to stop actively pursing donations and is $10,000 short of its $50,000 goal for 2004, he said. This is the second year the Ellwood City United Fund has missed its goal.
Basile said he plans to try to make the kickoff auction more lucrative in the next fund drive to help the group meet its goal next year.
"You just have to find more ways of generating money. There are just so many people out there who need help," he said.
The United Fund, like the United Way, gives to local nonprofit organizations such as the Lawrence County Association for the Blind, local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops and other nonprofit groups, he said.
But Young said she is optimistic the United Way of Lawrence County will meet its goal. She said this year many companies started their fund drives later in the year and are still wrapping them up.
cioffi@vindy.com