January 24, 2001
United Way close to reaching goal
By Erik Burriss
Staff Writer
The Tiffin-Seneca United Way 2000-2001 campaign is within 9 percent of reaching its $495,000 goal. Not all contributions are in.
"We are really close," said Pat DeMonte, the organization's executive director. "We're $44,420 away from our goal."
Layoffs and cutbacks by local businesses contributed to the United Way not quite reaching its goal, she said.
However, donations from state employees -- which are funneled through the Ohio Combined Charitable Campaign -- and from the campaigns of some area businesses have not been received yet by the United Way, she said.
"There's always a few that trickle in at the end," DeMonte said.
The funds are to be divided among 23 area agencies. Fourteen of them will make presentations to a United Way committee, DeMonte said.
"We're going to have some tough choices on Thursday," she said.
While DeMonte has been involved in the process before, this campaign is the first time she was involved on the United Way side of it.
"It was interesting listening to the agencies give their presentations," DeMonte, who for the last four years represented the Seneca County Agency Transportation before the committee.
"I know how hard the agencies work to provide a service on a shoestring budget. I understand what they're going through."