This Year's Perth Huron United Way Campaign Down from Last Year
by Bob Montgomery
Perth Huron United Way Executive Director Ryan Erb says this year's United Way campaign is about sixteen percent behind last year's campaign at this point.
Erb says anytime there's a recession, one of the casualties is charities that end up with less money. He says we're not in a recession right now but most people are being financially challenged to some degree and that's being reflected in this year's campaign. Erb points out while donations are down, the demand for the services of their organizations in the communities is higher than ever. They've got longer line-ups and increasing needs at the same time as they have potentially less money to make all of that work.
Erb points out United Way Perth Huron is one hundred percent local and positively impacts communities across Perth-Huron by way of Connection Centres in Stratford, Exeter and Wingham. Some of their programs include their Urgent Needs Fund, which supports individuals and families in a time of immediate need with financial support for rent arrears, winter clothes, groceries and other necessities. Another program is the new United Housing initiative, which is meant to help address the housing crisis locally. They also have 40-plus local partners and services that benefit from the support of the United Way. Erb says last year alone, United Way Perth Huron helped over 25-thousand people through its partners and in-house programs.
Erb says, given where they are right now it's difficult to imagine them exceeding the amount they raised last year. He says they were hoping to beat that by about two-hundred thousand dollars, but he says there is still time and he hopes people who can give will give a little bit more this year. So they'll work a little harder and hope some of their events, like the Coldest Night of Year event, will help to make people aware of the need. The campaign ends on March 31st.
For more information, or to help, visit the United Way Perth Huron website.
