Faced with a slumping economy and increased giving to national charities, the Duke United Way campaign has extended its campaign by two weeks, reaching out for more donations to support local causes.
The $1.125-million campaign was to end this weekend, but after only raising about $800,000 by last week, officials said they will continue soliciting money until Nov. 2. Together with the Triangle United Way campaign, the Duke efforts help fund about 200 local health and social programs, from the Alcohol/Drug Council of North Carolina to the YMCA of Greater Durham.
"This year, the campaign is a little behind where we would like to be," said Rafael Rodriguez, co-chair of the Duke United Way campaign. "Everyone has been very generous supporting the United Way September 11th Fund for New York and the Washington, D.C., area, but I'm hoping people recognize that there's still a significant need in the local area."
The United Way September 11th Fund has received over $320 million in national pledges over the past month for victims and survivors of the recent terrorist attacks. Rodriguez said he hopes the local efforts will also be seen as worthy, and the campaign is beginning to contact more donors, especially members of the Duke Leadership Circle, who have given at least $1,000 to past campaigns.
"The reason we focus so much on the United Way is that the money goes back into the community, and the people here decide where the money goes. Duke has always had a strong interest in reaching out to the different needs in the communities," said Rodriguez, also the associate chief information officer for Technology Solutions at Duke University Health System.
President Nan Keohane and Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. Ralph Snyderman sent Duke staff and faculty members a letter last week describing the need for donations to the United Way campaign, which in the last several years has become one of Duke's largest fundraising efforts.
"If anything, the turbulent events of the last month mean that contributing to the local United Way campaign is even more important than before," they wrote in the letter. "In a slowing economy, and in a time of great uncertainty, our neighbors need more, not less support."
The Duke effort is part of the larger Triangle United Way campaign, which seeks to raise $26 million by Nov. 20. So far, the overall effort has raised $5.2 million, but officials are not yet ready to extend the campaign.
"I think we're starting to see some people really step up in the last week, but there's still great concern," said Jill Cox, a spokesperson for the Triangle United Way.
She said their campaign will be stepping up advertising in the coming weeks to make people more aware of local charity needs. By using radio and newspaper announcements, as well as an e-mail campaign, the Triangle United Way hopes to increase donations at a time when she said they are especially needed.
"The fact that the economy is struggling now means there are folks in the community who require services who would never have needed them before," Cox said. "A lot of the employers in the area have fewer employees and fewer dollars to work with."
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