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United Way sets annual goal of $2.5M for 2009
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Bob Hannon, head of the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, discusses the plan to raise $2.5 million for various agencies. The UW’s kickoff Pacesetter Campaign breakfast was Thursday in Boardman.
The goal is reachable, the United Way president says.
BOARDMAN — Pacesetters have a tradition of getting the United Way’s annual campaign off to a good start, said Bob Hannon, head of the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.
“We need you” again this year if the 2009 campaign is to reach its $2.5 million goal, Hannon said to the Pacesetters at their campaign kickoff breakfast Thursday at the Holiday Inn.
“It starts at the top. If the CEO or campaign coordinator are enthusiastic, the employees will be too,” he said.
The Pacesetter Campaign consists of 40 to 50 local businesses, schools and nonprofit organizations that conduct early workplace campaigns before the general campaign begins Sept. 11 with the communitywide Day of Caring. There are about 10 new Pacesetter organizations this year, Hannon said.
During the Day of Caring, community volunteers complete service projects at United Way-funded agencies.
Hannon, president and chief professional officer, said this year’s goal of $2.5 million is reachable despite the flagging economy.
The 2008 campaign came up about $600,000 short of its $2.9 million goal.
Chairman of the 2009 campaign is John Donahoe, plant manager at the General Motors Lordstown complex, and United Way has adopted the Cruze theme for its campaign, after the new Chevrolet Cruze automobile to be build at the Lordstown plant.
The United Way staff is called the “pit crew,” and the motto is “Cruze our campaign to the finish line.”
GM and its employees were United Way’s single largest donor in 2008, Hannon said.
A change in strategy this year is that the campaign will end Dec. 31. In past years, campaigns have lingered beyond the end of the year. It is too hard on volunteers and confusing for donors, Hannon said.
James B. Greene, chairman of the Leadership Club, gave an overview of what that organization does for the campaign.
The club, which is 26 years old and has 243 members, consists of people who give at least $1,000 to the campaign. He said the club raised $414,000 in 2008, and the goal for this year’s campaign is $500,000.
Greene, of Compco Industries, said it is a powerful club that represents people who want to give back to their community.
“Thanks for taking the time to help people and change lives,” he said to the Pacesetters.
Pacesetter campaign coordinators were given a guide to help them get their campaigns started that included information about United Way. For example, United Way campaigns have raised $137 million since beginning in 1919, and one in four people benefits from a United Way-funded program.
alcorn@vindy.com
UNITED WAY | Pacesetters
AIM NationaLease Co.
Altronic Inc.
American Red Cross — Mahoning Chapter
AT&T Boardman Call Center
Belmont Pines Hospital
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Boys & Girls Club of Youngstown
Boy Scouts — Greater Western Reserve Council
Burdman Group Inc.
Canfield Local Schools
Catholic Charities Regional Agency
Community Corp.
Compco Industries
Family Service Agency
Girl Scouts of North East Ohio
Goodwill Industries
HandsOn Volunteer Network of the Valley
Help Hotline Crisis Center
Hill, Barth & King
Home Savings & Loan Co.
Huntington Bank
Hynes Industries
Interfaith Home Maintenance
Jewish Community Center
Lamar Advertising Co.
Mahoning County Career & Technical Center
Mahoning County Educational Service Center
Masonry Materials Plus
Neighborhood Ministries
Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic
Packer Thomas
Potential Development Program
Salvation Army
Second Harvest Food Bank
Seven Seventeen Credit Union
South Range Local Schools
Trumbull Industries
Turning Technologies
United Methodist Community Center
United Parcel Service
Visiting Nurse Association
YMCA
YWCA
Youngstown Hearing & Speech Center
Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority
Yurchyk & Davis