When times get tough financially, most of us tend to hunker down and find ways to save money.
As a result, charitable giving tends to decline at the very point in time when the needs of the neediest become even more pronounced. Because contributions to the United Way of Iredell County have remained flat over the past few years, many of these needs have gone unmet in our communities.
United Way officials are determined to put an end to that.
On Wednesday, Executive Director Pat Stewart, President Dave Grogan and other United Way leads outlined a new initiative to ensure the nonprofit has enough money to help its 23 member agencies meet the needs of their 80,000 clients.
The "Agenda for Lasting Change" hinges on raising $1.8 million during the next community campaign and $2 million in 2009.
Squeezing an additional $600,000 out of this community in the next two years will be a daunting task. The rising cost of gas, food and other necessities has reduced the amount of disposable income in the average household.
But we have no doubt this community will respond as it has in recent years to provide funding for the Gordon Hospice House, The Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont and Fifth Street Shelter Ministries.
We applaud the United Way leadership team for having the courage to determine what the community’s needs are and for setting its sights on finding the money necessary to meet them.
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