ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 25, 1996 TAG: 9601250012
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ROBERT FREIS STAFF WRITER
Without a late campaign rally, it appears the United Way of Montgomery, Radford & Floyd will fall a bit short of its 1995 fund-raising goal.
Estimations one week before the campaign's official end indicate donations will total about $840,000. That figure represents the same amount raised during last year's campaign but only 91 percent of the 1995 goal of $900,000.
As a result, the 39 local social service agencies that receive full or partial funding from United Way donations may have to hold the line financially or tighten their belts a notch.
Campaign officials blame the shortfall on ripple effects of national economic trends - downsizing, restructuring, corporate buyouts - that have come to the New River Valley.
"People tend to get a little nervous about their finances, understandably," said Kymn Davidson-Hamley, local United Way executive director. "You tend to pull in a little bit and be more careful with your personal resources."
In particular these trends were damaging to the local United Way's fund-raising efforts among the area's numerous state employees, most of whom work at Virginia Tech or Radford University.
Donations from state employees ordinarily represent about one-third of the local total, the highest percentage of any United Way campaign in Virginia. But the campaign took a deep hit after hundreds of Tech and Radford employees accepted buyouts.
"Naturally when you have less people working in the universities you're going to have less dollars raised in employee campaigns," said Jay Johnson, the United Way's 1995 campaign chairman.
"We have some donors we know we lost," Davidson-Hamley said. "It means more to this community. We've got a lot more to lose."
Fewer state employee contributions offset gains the campaign made among private industry employee campaigns, Johnson said.
Volunteers have been no less energetic or committed during the 1995 campaign, Davidson-Hamley said. But the unanticipated effects of economic changes made this year's effort difficult, she added.
In 1995, the local United Way increased the number of social service agencies it supports by three to 39, and expanded to include the previously independent Floyd County campaign.
Decisions about allocation of United Way dollars will be made by a volunteer committee that will begin to set priorities next month, after the campaign is completed.
"Every agency has legitimate funding needs. Some needs in some years are more critical than others. It's a very difficult and challenging process," Johnson said.
"I hope we'll be able to stay even," Davidson-Hamley said. However, agencies with growing client lists may have to stretch their funds to compensate.
The 1995 campaign will conclude Wednesday with an awards and volunteer recognition ceremony at the Farmhouse Restaurant. Until then, staffers and volunteers are trying to round up late pledges and wrap up employee campaigns.
Johnson said donations are still welcome - and needed. Anyone who wants to help the campaign get closer to the goal can call Johnson at 951-6217 or the United Way office at 381-2066.
Donations may also be mailed to the United Way office at P.O. Box 554, Christiansburg, Va. 24073.
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