THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 5, 1994 TAG: 9411050623
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATRICIA HUANG, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
With less than a month to go in United Way's annual campaign, volunteers announced Friday that they've reached nearly 72 percent of their $15.2 million goal, raising $7.6 million of it locally.
The fund-raising campaign, which ends Nov. 30, includes dollars raised through three campaigns - the United Way campaign, which seeks local contributions largely from residents and employee payroll donations; the Combined Federal Campaign, which collects dollars from civilian federal employees and active duty military; and the Combined Virginia Campaign, which solicits contributions from state employees.
More than 2,000 South Hampton Roads volunteers participated in United Way's third annual Day of Caring, which kicked off the fund-raising campaign last September. Volunteers from local companies and the military community donated their time that day to several of United Way's 70 local heath and human services agencies.
In addition to the success so far of United Way's annual campaign, said volunteer Katherine Overkamp, the organization was recently able to award $100,000 in one-time grants to 16 of their agencies.
These funds were made available due to an increase in pledge collections throughout the year. The largest single grant, $15,000, will go to The Children's Center in Suffolk to open a new center for disabled children in Franklin.
Other agencies that will benefit from the grants include homeless shelters, centers for the elderly and the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Hampton Roads.
United Way's annual campaign continues for almost four more weeks and many agencies say their growth creates a bigger need for funds than usual.
``We're seeing a 10 percent increase (in clients) this year,'' said Michael Robbins, executive director of Tidewater AIDS Crisis Taskforce, who said that the agency now serves 450 South Hampton Roads clients who are either HIV-positive or have full-blown AIDS.
TACT and CANDII House, organizations that help AIDS patients, receive United Way donations from the annual campaign only when donors specifically designate pledges for them.
Since the two agencies joined United Way only a few years ago, they cannot yet split the organization's share of undesignated contributions.
``There is a great demand for undesignated funds,'' said United Way president Mike Hughes, who explained that 60 percent of the donations the agency receives are slated for certain agencies.
The remaining 40 percent - undesignated funds - are split among areas that need it the most.
``We try to find the most critical need,'' Robbins said. ``But the lines aren't always clearly delineated.''
Last year, CANDII House and TACT received about 11 percent of their total budgets from United Way's annual campaign. CANDII House received $40,000 in pledges and TACT received about $54,000.
Other organizations that got bigger pieces of the pie include the American Cancer Society, which received $130,000, and the America Heart Association, which received $98,000.
``The United Way funds help us with things not covered by grants like rent, supplies, travel, and a portion of two salaries,'' Robbins said.
The Norfolk-based agency helps provide AIDS patients with financial assistance, counseling and emotional support. It is one of the 10 beneficiaries of proceeds from Sunday's Hampton Roads AIDS Walk for Life, Ribbons said. He expects the walk will yield about $7000 in donations for his agency. by CNB