By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The United Way of Greater St. Joseph's annual campaign is underway.
The campaign kicked off at the end of last week and will go on over the next two months after successfully raising nearly $1 million dollars, raising $970,506.40 through the pacesetter campaign.
President Kylee Strough says the pacesetter campaign is a good indicator for United Way of how the campaign is going to go
"When the pacesetters get us off to such a strong start, it gives us a peek inside, as to how donors and potential donors are feeling and if United Way is capturing their hearts this year," Strough tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And so, that pacesetter number gives us a lot of enthusiasm for where we're headed."
Strough says while there is no particular goal to hit with this year’s campaign, the hope is to raise more than last year when the campaign raised just over $2.5 million.
Strough says one big hurdle they face in getting people to donate, however, is donors knowing how much their donation matters.
"When you talk about $2.5 million dollars, I think it's easy to think that like oh that's happening somewhere else, what's my $25 or $100 make a difference, how does mine make a difference if they're raising that much money?" Strough explains. "But that much money comes from thousands of people giving their fair share, and so I think that's one of our largest hurdles."
Strough says another hurdle is the work of those partner agencies is so expansive, donors have trouble grasping that they are a part of everything.
Strough says over the next few weeks United Way employees will be planning out businesses to go into to talk about the campaign, but starting today volunteers will come in to begin calling out
"They will select a list of businesses to reach out to, and invite those businesses to give, so the phones will start ringing here in the next couple weeks," Strough says. "And it will really be friends calling their friends here in the community, saying hey I'm volunteering for United Way would you support the campaign with a gift?"
To donate to United Way's campaign or to learn more, you can visit their website or contact the agency.
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