United Way Seeks to Solve Case of Reaching Financial Goal

JournalNews :: 11.4.05 — In an effort to complete their fundraising goal, Butler County United Way officials turned a conference room into an investigative scene. Their search: to find ways to raise $83,000 to reach their campaign goal of $2.71 million.

A Celebration of Progress to discuss United Way’s 2005 campaign was held Thursday morning in the Harry T. Wilks Conference Center at Miami University Hamilton on University Boulevard. Board members reported contributions raised from corporate donors to fund programs of nonprofit agencies in Butler County.

This year’s campaign theme is “Five in ’05.” Organizers created their own version of the popular ’70s TV show “Hawaii Five-0” called “Hawaii ’05, Episode ’05: The Case of the Unmet Needs.”

“There are more than 70,000 people that have been helped over the past year through the programs funded by the United Way,” community volunteer Dan Fitzgerald said to the audience during the skit. “The 50-plus programs have been making a difference in people’s lives.”

The JournalNews has been a gold sponsor of this year’s United Way campaign. Platinum sponsors are the Ohio Casualty Group and the SASHA Corp.

Executive directors Tina Osso of Shared Harvest Foodbank in Fairfield and Steve Schnabl of Senior Citizens, Inc. played roles in the skit to detail how people in the community benefit from United Way funds that go toward agencies’ programs.

According to United Way officials, 59 programs of various nonprofits have requested funding that total $2.52 million this year. Ten of those programs are new. More than 93 percent of United Way’s contributions stays in Butler County. Less than 16 percent of each donated dollar is spent on administrative and fund-raising costs, officials said.

Art Pizzano, 2005 champaign chairman and city manager of Fairfield, played the state chief of police. He stated increases from previous years. United Way received an additional $600,000, which is a 30 percent increase over the past five years, he said.

As of Thursday, the United Way has reached 97 percent of its goal, which is a 5 percent increase from last year. No deadline has been set when the campaign will end, officials said.

Butler County United Way has 33 partner agencies that assist more than 70,000 people and fund more than 50 programs in Hamilton and Fairfield, and West Chester, Ross, Morgan, Liberty, St. Clair and Fairfield townships.

“Today we are celebrating our progress,” said Maureen Noe, president and chief executive officer of the Butler County United Way. “Thanks to the two platinum sponsors and the gold sponsors and for your generous contributions.”