MARCH 4, 2010 ISSUE
High Country United Way at 70 Percent of $600,000 Goal
Campaign Ends March 31
High Country United Way Executive Director Linda Slade reported that the organization’s campaign, which ends March 31, is currently at 70 percent of its goal. “We’re sitting at about $425,000 [and] our goal is $600,000,” said High Country United Way Executive Director Linda Slade, adding that this means the organization is at 70 percent of its goal.
The campaign wraps up on March 31, Slade added.
This week, High Country United Way launched a “100 x 100” campaign, encouraging 100 small local businesses to donate $100 each.
“I think it’s important for small businesses to feel like they can make a big difference, and they can,” Slade said.
If 100 businesses participate in the campaign, the $100,000 will go a long way in making a difference in the community, she said.
“I would love to knock it out of the water and have more than 100 [small businesses participate],” she said. “We want to engage more small businesses in what we do.”
Slade said she wants local businesses to be involved not only monetarily, but also in helping to determine the needs in the community. After the allocations take place in July, High Country United Way will report where the funding went and exactly what it accomplished.
“This is a small investment, but then we’ll go back and show what that did for the community, [and] maybe next year, they’ll write a $150 check,” she said.
Slade hopes small businesses take advantage of the “opportunity to engage without making a huge commitment,” she said. “I think anyone who is part of this will think it’s very much money well spent.
“Last year, we finished up at 84 percent of our goal,” Slade said. “Six hundred thousand is a lot of money, but holy cow, we could easily use double that here. The programs and agencies we support are shaking their heads on a daily basis.”
With the recession, which brought a sharp decrease in funding and also a dramatic spike in clients for all local nonprofits, those organizations “are swimming in uncharted waters,” Slade said.
High Country United Way provides funding to a variety of nonprofits in Avery and Watauga counties that provide crisis intervention services, as well as “good programs that will keep people from falling through the cracks,” Slade said. “It’s about building a strong community.”
For more information about High Country United Way, click to www.highcountryunitedway.org or call 828-265-2111.
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