The United Way of Sarnia-Lambton is shooting for $1.65 million for this year’s capital campaign after falling short of its $1.75-million goal in 2021.
The target, which is in line with what was actually raised in 2021, has been dropping successively in recent years after an all-time-high $2-million target was missed in 2018, executive director Dave Brown said.
“We’ve been trending down largely because of the pandemic of course, but we’re hoping we’re at the bottom now that we’re kind of returning to some kind of normalcy.”
With that return, supporters can cue the revival of events, like an Enbridge Car Show fundraiser Sept. 10 at the Western Sarnia-Lambton Research Park and the Sarnia Sting Black and White game on Sept. 2 at Progressive Auto Sales Arena, Brown said.
Those capital campaign fundraisers were either on hold or hampered by restrictions in 2020 and 2021, and their return could help boost the eventual take for the United Way, which funds 31 programs at 17 community agencies like Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Inn of the Good Shepherd, he said.
Local plants like Imperial Oil, CF Industries and Shell, as well as their employees and retirees, typically fund two-thirds of the capital campaign, so a return to events like fundraising barbecues at those workplaces is also expected to help the drive, Brown said .
“We know it’s going to be a difficult year, for obvious reasons,” he said about achieving the target by year’s end.
“But by the same token, we know that our agencies are struggling with the high cost of gas and inflation, as are many of their clients and their families.”
Agency requests for funding to the United Way earlier this year totaled $2.1 million across 39 programs.
Agencies will be able to apply for funding in the fall, and decisions about where that funding is allocated will be made at the beginning of the new year, Brown said.
Overarching criteria for program evaluation includes whether they aid in poverty reduction, help youth, help seniors or support mental-health initiatives, he said.
The biggest focus right now is poverty, he said.
“That’s fairly new for us,” he said. “Prior to the pandemic, we didn’t do a whole lot in terms of poverty … but now that’s where our key focus is.”
Campaigning and fundraising don’t ever really stop, he said, but the official campaign kickoff is slated for Sept. 20 with the annual Day of Caring.
That’s “another great example of a bit of a return to normal,” Brown said, as the initiative that sends upwards of 250 people, on loan to the United Way from local businesses for the day to help with repair and maintenance jobs for local seniors and community agencies, was on hold for the past two years.
“Because you’re dealing with vulnerable adults, we didn’t want people putting themselves in harm’s way,” Brown said about the hiatus.
The kickoff initiative may still be scaled back this year because some apprehension remains about entering people’s homes, he said.
“But if there’s much-needed home maintenance … this is an opportunity for those groups and those individuals to get some work done.”
Donations can be made at theunitedway.on.ca or by calling 519-336-5452, officials said.