United Way announces campaign results at Friday luncheon

With its annual fundraising campaign coming to a close, the United Way of Southeast Missouri is $84,500 short of its $1.01 million campaign goal.

The 2010-2011 campaign raised $935,216 to date, with a few company campaigns still out. Last year's campaign brought in $1,142,858, short of its $1.2 million goal.

"In spite of the challenges this economy presented, we think we had an awesome campaign," said this year's co-chairman, Kevin Greaser, community bank president at Alliance Bank.

Despite the decline in donations, United Way staff and volunteers focused on the successes in this year's campaign during a celebration luncheon Friday at Cape West 14 Cine.

More than 30 local companies increased their donations from the previous campaign, said Kim Simon, United Way development director.

"We think that's promising with the way the economy was this year," she said.

A total of 1,100 individuals increased their United Way contributions this year by at least $1 a week, resulting in an additional $163,000 in donations.

"Realistic yet challenging" is how United Way executive director Nancy Jernigan described this year's $1.01 million campaign goal.

"We're all struggling," she said. "We will just keep going and doing more with less because we love what we do."

Requests for assistance from agencies providing basic needs such as housing, food and utility assistance have doubled this year, said John McGowan, United Way director of community impact.

At the Salvation Army alone, nearly 60 percent of those seeking help are new clients who have never needed assistance before, he said.

Last year the United Way began a three-year allocations process with the agencies it supports. Each agency was assigned a percentage of the total funds raised. Agencies will receive the same percentages this year as they received last year, but with the campaign shortfall, Jernigan estimated United Way will have 15 to 20 percent less to distribute.

The United Way's new individual gifts initiative, designed to reach people who don't give through payroll deduction campaigns, helped give the organization's fundraising a boost. Through individual and small group presentations, more than $20,000 was raised, Jernigan said.

The United Way also recognized its Top 20 Campaigns. These 20 companies made up more than 75 percent of this year's total giving.

1. Procter & Gamble

2. SoutheastHEALTH

3. Nordenia USA Inc.

4. Southeast Missouri State University

5. AmerenUE

6. Southeast Missourian

7. KFVS12/The Heartland CW

8. Schnucks

9. City of Cape Girardeau

10. Cape Girardeau School District

11. Jackson School District

12. AT&T

13. Saint Francis Medical Center

14. The Bank of Missouri

15. UPS

16. Regions Bank

17. Montgomery Bank

18. US Bank

19. BioKyowa

20. Drury Southwest

mmiller@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

247 Siemers Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO