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Courtesy: Johnson City Press
A final accounting of the United Way of Washington County’s 2009 campaign shows the shortfall in the fall fundraising drive is nearly $100,000 less than originally feared. United Way officials closed the books on the drive Feb. 26, and Wednesday announced total contributions of $1,825,270, or 93.7 percent of the campaign’s $1.95 million goal.
The $124,730 shortfall compares to a $212,805, or 10.9 percent, shortfall reported Feb. 1.
United Way President and CEO Lester Lattany said a large round of late giving and money pledged to the local campaign by contributors residing in other parts of the country combined to help bridge the gap.
“With some of the challenges that are out there, we are really pleased with what the community has done. It was a great turnaround,” he said.
Looking ahead to this year’s United Way agency allocations hearings, Lattany said, “Based on the ultimate outcome, we will do all we can to make sure the agencies have the resources they need.”
Campaign Chairman Ed Herbert said he was awed by the support that came to the campaign, particularly the gifts that were made since mid-December, when the shortfall stood at more than $381,000. “Everyone who came on at the last minute ... truly became a blessing to the people who benefit from these service organizations,” he said.
With just more than 81 percent of the campaign goal pledged at the close of its traditional four-month fundraising drive, United Way leaders extended the 2009 campaign to Jan. 31 and organized a final community-wide “blitz” in an attempt to stave off a second-consecutive cut in funding for the agencies. The blitz included a one-hour Friday night telethon hosted by WJHL-TV on Jan. 22 that raised an additional $51,400 and all-day roadblock at eight of the city’s busiest intersections Jan. 23 that brought in another $8,400.
While the fundraising officially ended Jan. 31, contributions continued to come in over the next several weeks, led by a $50,000 gift from local Roadrunner Markets presented to the campaign Feb. 1.
Lattany called the financial and volunteer support shown for the 17 health and human services and youth enrichment programs and services provided through the United Way “a mark of distinction” for the individuals and businesses who contributed to the campaign.
“This year’s campaign made it clear that the ‘Live United’ movement is alive in our community. All of us have a stake in each other’s success and all people, no matter their position or means, have a role to play in advancing the common good,” he said.
Following 2008’s shortfall, the United Way used its reserves funds to avoid cuts in funding when many of the agencies it supports were struggling to meet dramatic increases in need for their services and declines in charitable giving that came with the recession.
To replace those reserves, United Way implemented a 15 percent across-the-board reduction in its 2010 funding for agencies, and several of the agencies’ directors have expressed fears the 2009 shortfall will result in another cut in 2011 that, combined with other funding shortfalls, will put their services in jeopardy.

Courtesy: Johnson City Press
The United Way of Washington County has received a $50,000 gift from area Roadrunner markets and about $5,000 more in additional late contributions to help with the shortfall in its 2009 fund-raising campaign for 17 area service agencies.
The campaign officially closed Friday more than $267,000 short of the campaign's $1.95 million goal. The donation from Roadrunner, presented Monday morning by John V. Kelly, chief operations officer for Mountain Empire Oil Company, and other contributions received since in the final thee days of the campaign and over the weekend have reduced the shortfall to $212,805, or 10.9 percent of the campaign's goal.
The shortfall follows a $189,000 shortfall in the 2008 campaign that resulted in a 15 percent across the board reduction in United Way's annual allocations to the17 local nonprofit agencies that became effective Jan. 1. Some of the agencies' directors have indicated a second consecutive cut in the annual United Way funding in 2011 will put their programs at risk.
A two-week fund-raising blitz conducted by the campaign team Jan. 15 to Jan. 29 raised nearly $60,000 and reduced the shortage from about $331,000 on Jan. 15 to close to $273,000 on Friday.
"Three weeks ago we were $381,000 short and we're still shy. But this $50,000 will help us make up a big piece of that," Campaign Chairman Ed Herbert said Monday at a press conference at the Roadrunner market in Boones Creek. "The media got the word out and the community responded. We've been getting calls from other businesses and companies. All of this is coming together and they are changing our numbers. This will make a difference."
Mountain Empire Oil's Chairman and CEO Warren Broyles said, "We're glad to help the community out. It's tough times with Haiti and the economy. We're just glad to be a part of the community."
United Way President and CEO Lester Lattany reported, "To date, with this contribution, the campaign total stands at $1,737,195.83 which is 89 percent of the goal. This leaves an outstanding amount of $212,804.71 still needed to meet the 2009 Campaign goal."
Despite the shortfall, Lattany said the campaign "has been given tremendous support" from the media, local businesses, community leaders and the community at large. He thanked local news outlets for their coverage in the closing weeks of the campaign, East Tennessee State University President Dr. Paul Stanton, Jeff Jones, president of Citi, and First Tennessee Bank and its president Newt Raff for their assistance in a Jan. 22 telethon that raised more than $51,400 for the campaign, and about 60 volunteers who collected more than $8,400 for the campaign in a road block conducted at intersections around the city on Jan. 23.
"The focus of these joint efforts has brought us to where we are in the campaign today. Thank you for remembering those we serve in our community," Lattany said.
Herbert said, "Thank you to each individual, church and business in this great community that has shown their support for the United Way and their partner agencies by contributing to this campaign and for making it the success it is to this point."
More information about the 2009 campaign and the work of the agencies it assists may be obtained by contacting the United Way office at 926 West Oakland Ave. Suite 214, 37604, or 282-5682, or by visiting www.unitedwayofjohnsoncity.org.

Courtesy: Johnson City Press
Becky Lunsford spent most of her Saturday standing in the middle of the intersection of Legion Street and State of Franklin Road wearing a bright orange vest and carrying a bucket emblazoned with the United Way of Washington County logo.
Once people saw the United Way logo, Lunsford said they usually rolled down their window and dropped a few dollars or a handful of change into the collection bucket.
Lunsford, program manager for the area Girl Scouts, was one of more than 70 volunteers who assisted the United Way in a massive collection effort along eight major city intersections Saturday, which concluded the United Way 2009 Campaign Closing Blitz.
"I think it's important to give back. That's what the Girl Scouts teach is giving back to the community, so we're wanting to give back," Lunsford said.
Most volunteers began collecting donations from the people of Washington County as early as 8 a.m. Saturday. Collecting continued throughout the day until 5 p.m.
Since United Way helps fund the Girl Scouts, Lunsford said it seemed fitting to help them reach their 2009 campaign goal of $1.95 million.
One of the highlights of the day for Lunsford was when a little girl dropped a quarter in her bucket. The girl's mother was about to drive off, but the girl told her mother to wait and she rolled down the window and donated her quarter.
Lunsford said it's that kind of generosity that made standing in the middle of the road worth her while. She said she wasn't really surprised to see a steady stream of people donating at the intersection.
"Because of the times, the economy and that kind of thing, there probably is a little bit of surprise, but this is a good community. They'll give back when they need to," she said.
United Way President and CEO Lester Lattany said they had printed about 3,000 thank you cards to hand out to people who donated Saturday. Just before 2:30 p.m., Lattanay said they had given out almost all of the cards.
"I'm just absolutely thrilled that so many people realize the needs that are out there in our community and were willing to sacrifice their Saturday to do this. ...We really appreciate the community and those that are giving," he said.
On Friday, United Way was able to raise more than $50,000 during a telethon broadcast on WJHL-TV. Before Friday night, United Way was still more than $331,000 short of its goal.
Saturday's conclusion to the Closing Blitz of the campaign brought in more than $7,000. Lattany said an additional four canisters of change were also collected and will be added to the total on Monday.
Lattany was proud of the people of Washington County for their contributions. "For me, it says that people are coming to a strong understanding and really an awareness of the services that are being provided by our organizations. ... It's a partnership with the community. It's a partnership with United Way as a conduit to 17 agencies that provide services for children, for adults and for people in crises within our community," he said.

Courtesy: Johnson City Press
Shoppers at Food City stores throughout the region might have seen familiar faces at the checkout line on Tuesday, and it was all for a charitable cause. Local celebrities volunteered their time to bag groceries at multiple Food City locations to raise money and awareness for the United Way.
"We are doing this in about five different cities," Food City Senior Marketing VP Tom Hembree said. "We are doing it in Kingsport, Johnson City, Bristol, Abingdon (Va.) and Lebanon (Va.). It's really spreading out this year. Last year it was only in certain stores up around Bristol but we decided to go all out this year and do some other places."
"This is absolutely a great opportunity, because not only is this happening in Washington County, but throughout our region," Washington County Untied Way President & CEO Lester Lattany said. "It's a really great opportunity for people to understand what Food City is trying to let them know about the value of our partnerships with United Way organizations."
Most of the celebrity baggers caught on quickly with their training and understood not to crush the bread, eggs, chips and other fragile items, but WJHL's Josh Smith required a little extra attention, according to Food City management.
"Josh is a little tough, but all of them do a good job," Hembree said. "We just tell them to keep the eggs on top, the bread on top and everything else wherever they can put it."
"Every dollar raised in any component of our campaign is extremely important and critical," Lattany said. "Every opportunity that we have to maintain the campaign and help the campaign grow means we've got more dollars available for those who provide direct services in our community. We just want to tell the public thank you for remembering the United Way and the work they do."

Courtesy: Johnson City Press
Still more than $331,000 short of its 2009 campaign goal, the United Way of Washington County is in the midst of a two-week advertising and fundraising blitz aimed at preventing a second consecutive year of funding cuts to 17 local human service agencies and nonprofit programs.
In a series of ads published in the Johnson City Press since Jan. 15, the campaign's leaders have been sharing the reasons behind their personal commitment to the United Way in order to encourage others to give.
The advertisements will be followed by a series of news features and a one-hour United Way telethon to be broadcast by WJHL from 7 to 8 p.m. on Friday and an all-day road block at the city's major intersections on Saturday. Radio spots on United Way shortfall and promotions for Friday's telethon and Saturday's road block will be broadcast by members of the Citadel Broadcasting group, beginning Thursday.
The $331,000 shortfall in the 2009 United Way campaign comes on the heels of a $189,000 shortfall in the 2008 campaign that resulted in a 15 percent across the board reduction in the United Way's annual allocations to the agencies that went into effect Jan. 1.
Campaign Chairman Ed Herbert said Monday the advertisements are intended to bring greater public awareness to the risk the campaign shortfall poses to local health and human services. The ads state that without additional support, United Way funding to the agencies will be cut and the agencies' services will be reduced.
"Cutting 15 to 16 percent (in United Way's funding) would be disastrous to some of those agencies," Herbert said. "We know the community doesn't want these agencies to suffer so we are using the Press, radio, TV and everyone we can get to help people realize everyone can make a difference.
"If we can get 30,000 or 40,000 people to give just a little bit (during Friday's telethon and Saturday's road block), this campaign will wrap up a success," Herbert said.
According to United Way President and CEO Lester Lattany, community leaders scheduled to take part in the telethon include East Tennessee State University President Paul Stanton, who will issue a challenge and matching donation for a percentage of the contributions received.
Saturday's United Way road blocks will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at eight major intersections along the city's State of Franklin Road, Roan Street and West Market Street corridors.
Herbert asks those who read the advertisements in the newspaper or hear them broadcast on the radio not to wait but to call the United Way office at 282-5682 or to visit www.unitedwayofjohnsoncity.org to make a donation.
"This year more than ever, the United Way needs help. We're more than $331,000 away. But if everyone who sees us on TV Friday or sees us out during Saturday's road block takes action and they drop $10 in the bucket, or they write a check and drop it in the bucket, we'll have a miracle day and it will make a difference in this campaign. It will make a difference for these agencies and it will make a difference for people in crisis.
"It has been a hard year. But we're asking people not to just write off the United Way but to please give what they can."

Courtesy: Johnson City Press
Still more than $270,000 short of its $1.95 million fundraising goal, the Washington County United Way's 2009 campaign will close on Friday.
Campaign team members have been working since December to make up the shortfall in hopes of avoiding a second consecutive year of reductions in annual United Way funding to 17 local nonprofit social service programs supported by the United Way. Untied Way President and CEO Lester Lattany said the team members will continue to solicit donations through the end of the business day on Friday.
The shortfall follows a $189,000 shortfall in the United Way's 2008 campaign that resulted in a 15 percent across the board reduction in the United Way's annual funding to the agencies that became effective Jan. 1.
Campaign chairman Ed Herbert said some the agencies' have indicated a second consecutive reduction in United Way funding in 2011 will put their programs and services at risk.
Lattany said Herbert and other campaign team members are still working their phones and will continue calling individuals and organizations who have previously given to the United Way but have not contributed to the 2009 campaign through Friday.
"There are still several individuals and businesses who have not given and the appeal still needs to be made to those who may have never given. Whatever they can do to help bring this home will be very helpful to our agencies."
"Whatever happens between now and Friday will be the amount that is available for allocations in 2011," Lattany said.
"We trust that those who read and see will still take the opportunity to give. That's what we're hoping for."
The campaign team's final calls mark the end of a two-week "Campaign Closing Blitz" that has reduced the shortfall from about $335,000 on Jan. 15 to $272,955 on Wednesday.
Last weekend, the campaign raised $51,480 in contributions pledged during a one-hour telethon broadcast by WJHL-TV on Friday evening and $8,401 in a 9-hour road block conducted at major intersections across the city on Saturday.
Lattany said the final total will be reduced by donations made in Washington County and designated by contributors for United Way organizations and agencies outside the county.
The United Way's allocations committee will conduct agency hearings to determine the amount of the 2011 allocations this spring.

Courtesy: Johnson City Press
With 81 percent of this year's $1.95 million United Way fundraising goal pledged and another $371,000 needed to avoid a second consecutive year of funding cuts to 17 area service agencies and programs, leaders of the 2009 United Way of Washington County campaign said Thursday they will continue the drive until the goal is met.
"We're not done. We've got a lot more to go. And we're not going to stop until we do this," Campaign Chairman Ed Herbert said at Thursday's final campaign report meeting.
After the last year's Washington County campaign fell $189,000 short of goal, United Way directors voted to use reserve funds to maintain existing funding levels to the agencies through 2009 and to reduce 2010 agency allocations by 15 percent.
Herbert said Thursday that agency directors have told United Way the possibility of another reduction in United Way support in 2011 combined with anticipated cuts in state funding is causing concern about their ability to continue operating.
"They don't know if they can keep their doors open," Herbert said.
In a direct plea to the county's largest media outlets, the chairman said, "If every person who reads the Johnson City Press tomorrow gives $20," or "if everyone who watches WJHL news tonight gives $15," the 2009 campaign goal will be met.
"We need people to pull out their wallets. ... We're trying to get people to understand that (because) they may not have had a pay increase this year it does not mean they should give up on the United Way."
Keith Bennett, a Jonesborough-area resident who received emergency assistance from the American Red Cross of Northeast Tennessee during last week's wind storm, and Phyllis Stevens, a 60-year-old retiree with lifelong blindness who receives daily living assistance from Family Support Services to help her continue living in her home, explained the value of a United Way donation.
Bennett said he had worked the same job for 40 years until he was laid off only few weeks ago. And as a 40-year member of the Ruritan, he said he had helped others in need in his community. When the wind storm caused a tree to fall and to pull the electric wires from his house, Bennett said the Red Cross came to his home and gave him the money he needed for a few nights in a hotel and caused him to realize that "you don't know what it feels like until the shoe is on the other foot."
Being blind all her life, Blevins said it was nothing new for her not to be able to see. But as she has become older and retired because of a heart condition, she needs help doing many things she used to do on her own.
"I needed some assistance with housekeeping, assistance writing my bills, assistance with a number of things I didn't always get" from others who had helped and moved on, she said.
"Family Support Services stayed with me. I thank Family Support Services for helping me and I thank United Way for helping them help me."
Of 14 campaign divisions raising money among businesses, workers and retirees in various sectors of the community, three campaign divisions had met or exceeded their individual fundraising goals Thursday, food services with $49,058 in total pledges, automotive with a total of $19,452 pledged and health services with total pledges of $241,455.
The financial division, which has the largest individual goal in this year's campaign, had raised $402,208, or 90 percent of its $445,250 goal. The services division, which includes each of the 17 nonprofit agencies and programs supported annually by the United Way, was at 60 percent of its $335,000 goal with $216,000 total pledges. And the Industrial I division was at 67 percent of its $218,250 goal with total pledges of $147,957.
Herbert closed the final report meeting by telling the division leaders, "Don't stop. We can't stop. Too many people are counting on it."
For those who wish to help, donations to the United Way of Washington County may be made online at www.unitedwayofwashingtoncountytn.org or by mail to P.O. Box 4039, Johnson City, TN 37602. For assistance or for more information, visit the United Way office at 926 W. Oakland Ave., Suite 214, or call 282-5682.