By Lisa Trigg
TERRE HAUTE — As many in the world struggle to overcome the economic hardships of the past year, an organization in Terre Haute that focuses on the education, income and health also is struggling to fund the many agencies it supports annually.
The United Way of the Wabash Valley met only 74 percent of its fundraising goal by Dec. 1, and with less than two months to go in the annual campaign, the push is on to raise the final half-million dollars.
“This has been a difficult campaign year,” said United Way Executive Director Troy Fears. “People are still giving, but many are not giving at the same levels as previous years.”
The current fundraising goal is $1.8 million. That is down from the previous year’s goal of $2 million, of which only $1.9 million was actually raised to fund agencies this year.
The drop in giving is not a surprise to Fears, who noted that the loss of industry and local businesses that conduct employee giving campaigns has resulted in a smaller donor pool.
“We anticipated it and we trimmed our 2009 administrative budget and did our own belt-tightening,” he said. “Our budget for 2010 is even tighter. However, that does not make up for the decline in donations.”
Forty-two agencies depend on United Way funding to offer their services in the community.
One of those agencies, Catholic Charities of Terre Haute, uses its United Way funding to provide essential needs to people in the greater Wabash Valley.
“I don’t know that we would fill that void on our own without the United Way funding,” Director John Etling said. “We might be someone’s only chance or hope to put food on the table tonight, or tomorrow night.”
Catholic Charities of Terre Haute operates several facilities and programs for the poor, homeless, elderly, neglected children and the needy. Those programs and facilities include Bethany House, Ryves Hall Youth Center, Catholic Charities Food Bank, Household Exchange, and the Christmas House and Store.
Around 240 individuals were assisted at the homeless shelter last year, Etling said, and the soup kitchen is projecting that 45,000 meals will be served this year. That is a large increase from the 28,000 meals served just five years ago, he noted.
The agencies who receive United Way funding run the gamut of services, and they can sometimes be the only lifeline some people get each day.
“The United Way, from my standpoint, provides more bang for the buck,” Etling said. “I think we all want to know our money is going to agencies who are responsible, and doing all that they can.”
The United Way still has some fundraisers planned aside from the corporate giving campaign. The United Day for United Way begins at 6 p.m. Jan. 21 and will feature four United Way officers spending 24 hours on the roof of Baesler’s Market at 2900 Poplar St., with the goal of raising $24,000 in 24 hours.
“People are still talking about last year’s event,” said campaign co-chair Marla Flowers, who will be on the rooftop along with co-chair Gary Morris, Fears and United Way board president Rick Burger. Last year’s event brought in $18,000 in 12 hours.
“It was so successful last year that we can imagine that stretching it out will bring in even more contributions,” Flowers said of the $1,000-per-hour goal.
Local celebrities also will pump gas and wash car windows at Baesler’s Market while collecting donations during the United Day.
Also, the Bid United fundraiser is online at www.bidunited.org where people can compete for merchandise and services from local businesses using auction-style bidding.
The variety of fundraisers will hopefully reach different people at different times, especially those who might want to give, but have never had a convenient way to give what they can.
“We knew going into 2009 that this was going to be a much different animal. Fundraising as a whole is a much different beast,” Fears said of the final push toward this year’s goal. “The economy, both locally and nationally, is in a different place. We’re now seeing people who were giving to this campaign last year become the recipients of services.”
Last year, the 42 United Way agencies in the Wabash Valley provided services for more than 172,500 people. Fears said many of the agencies have documented a dramatic increase in calls for assistance this year, and he expects a 15 to 20 percent increase in need.
“I think it’s safe to say that many nonprofits in our community are struggling right now and looking for various types of funding alternatives,” Fears said. “Our agencies just completed turning in their applications for 2010 funding. As an example, one of our broad serving agencies requested 11 percent more in funding than last year. Some 2010 requests were much higher than that.”
It is his hope, Fears said, that during this holiday season, people will make contributing to the United Way their holiday gift to the community.
The service area of United Way of the Wabash Valley extends to people in Clay, Parke, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties in Indiana, and Clark County in Illinois.
For more information on the United Way of the Wabash Valley, call (812) 235-6287, or visit uwwv.org.
Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com.
United Way partner agencies that receive funding support to operate their community programs are 211 Call Center-Lifeline, Alternatives for Living & Learning, American Red Cross of the Wabash Valley, Area 7 Agency on Aging & Disabled, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vigo County, Crossroads Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Lincoln Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Catholic Charities in Effingham, Catholic Charities of Terre Haute, Child Adult Resource Services, Clay County Literacy Coalition, Clay County Cooperative Benevolence Ministry, Clay County Emergency Food Pantry, Clay County Indiana Council on Aged and Aging, Community Action Program of Western Indiana Head Start, Community Alliance & Services for Young Children, Council on Domestic Abuse, Family Health & Help Center, Family Service Association, Goodwill Industries, Hamilton Center Infant & Toddler Services, Happiness Bag, Kid Kare Project, Marshall Area Youth Network, Meals on Wheels, Mental Health America of Vigo County, Pace Community Action Agency, Recovery Associates, St. Ann Community Outreach Services of Terre Haute, Salvation Army, Salvation Army Service Extension Units, Sullivan County Area Rehabilitation Center, Terre Haute Boys & Girls Club, Terre Haute Family Y, United Cerebral Palsy, United Child Care, Valley Day Care, Visiting Nurse Association/Hospice of the Wabash Valley, Wabash Valley Family Sports Center, Wabash Senior Citizens Center, West Vigo Community Center, and YMCA of Clay County.
For more information on the United Way of the Wabash Valley, call (812) 235-6287, or visit www.uwwv.org.
