United Way sets top goal at $11.8 million

With fewer people employed in larger businesses, Chattanooga will have to dig a little deeper to help the more than 275,000 people assisted this year by the United Way of Greater Chattanooga.

And, said 2010 campaign Chairman Bill Stacy, “[in 2011] there are apt to be a few more.”

The local United Way kicked off its community campaign Tuesday before a combined meeting of the downtown Rotary and Kiwanis clubs at the Chattanooga Convention Center, setting silver and gold campaign goals of $11.5 million and $11.8 million, respectively.

“We get together, extend a hand and reach to assist each other,” Stacy said.

The 2009 campaign raised $11,635,723, the fourth highest total in campaign history and the 88th straight year in which the organization reached its goal.

Stacy, the former chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and former headmaster of Baylor School, said the campaign is pointing toward the largest of the two goals.

Teresa Jones, a spokeswoman for Signal Centers, said the agency’s child care program, adult center and assistive technology center would not be serving people without United Way help.

“Signal Centers has been a partner agency with United Way for many years,” she said. “Without their funding, the three programs that United Way supports couldn’t exist.”

Stacy and the committee members who set the campaign goals scratched their heads going into this year because they knew they wouldn’t be able to raise more out of certain sectors, he said.

The only thing left that could increase, Stacy said, is the card value — the amount of money that could be expected this year based on last year’s pledges.

However, he said the 2010 campaign is already off to a good start with $2.5 million pledged, compared with the $1.7 million that was committed at last year’s kickoff.

“We’re excited about that early effort,” he said.

United Way board Chairman Nick Decosimo called Stacy a “persuasive, committed, great leader.”

But, he said, “it takes all of us, blessed by the fact of a generous community.”

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