Haven't made your UW pledge? Consider this.

Haven't made your UW pledge? Consider this.

By Jayne Spencer

If you still haven't decided whether or not to contribute to IU's United Way campaign, here are some things to consider.

A decrease in federal funding and the advent of the Thomson plant closing in the spring have forced organizers of the Monroe County United Way to consider, and plan for, the impact of those events. The community goal of $1,926,605 is a 21 percent increase from last year's.

Here are some things you should know:

Although it has distributed one million pounds of food already this year, the Hoosier Hills Food Bank expects to need four million pounds of food next year to eliminate serious hunger in the community.
The Mental Health Association's "Listening Line" received 7,000 calls last year, and needs for basic human services, such as shelter, child care and services for the elderly are rapidly growing.

The first four weeks of the United Way campaign have yielded excellent results. A community total of $508,919, or 26.42 percent, of goal has been reached. This year's university goal is set at $500,000, a 13-percent increase from last year. In less than four weeks, an accumulation of $253,000, or 50.6 percent, of the goal has been reached.