THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 18, 1995 TAG: 9511181602
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KATRICE FRANKLIN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
With less than two weeks left in South Hampton Roads United Way's annual fund-raising campaign, the organization has raised nearly 82 percent of its $15.6 million goal, a volunteer said Friday.
The fund-raiser, which ends Nov. 30, includes dollars raised through three local drives: the United Way campaign, which collects most of its money from area residents and employee payroll deductions; the Combined Federal Campaign, which accepts contributions from local military and civilian federal employees; and the Combined Virginia Campaign, which seeks donations from state employees.
Volunteer Katherine Overcamp said contributions have been coming in at a slower pace as the end of the campaign approaches.
``The end of the campaign is tough,'' Overcamp said. ``It really is hard because you have other holiday campaigns soliciting funds as well.''
Last year at this time, United Way had collected all but 10 percent of its $15.2 million goal, which it met by the end of the campaign.
But Overcamp said the organization is still optimistic about reaching its goal, because it almost always has before.
The campaign is particularly important this year, Overcamp said, because the federal government is likely to cut back many of the programs that help low-income families.
About two-thirds of the money that is being raised locally is slated for the 69 local agencies that United Way supports.
The remaining funds are split among other needy organizations.
Among the local agencies that depend heavily on contributions from United Way are:
Southside Boys and Girls Club, a program that works with young adults to overcome different problems. The group received almost 62 percent of its annual budget from last year's United Way campaign.
Response Sexual Assault Support Services, which received 42 percent of its budget from United Way.
Family Services of Tidewater, a family counseling agency, which collected 35 percent of its budget from the United Way. by CNB