PORT TOWNSEND – A United Good Neighbors of Jefferson County official expressed doubt Wednesday that the agency would reach its fund-raising campaign goal.
Lizanne Coker, in her second year as UGN fund-raising director, blames a soft Jefferson County economy, saying the agency was at $236,500 of its $295,000 goal for the 2006-07 fund-raising campaign.
Although the campaign year runs from June to June, most of the giving usually occurs by the end of January, she said.
United Good Neighbors supports community safety net programs through donations to the county’s food banks, Meals on Wheels program and emergency shelters.
“We’re expecting to be over $240,000 in the next two weeks but whether we get to $250,000 is doubtful,” she said.
“It’s just the expense of gas and the economy, and things have just slowed.
“I’d say there’s definitely been a drain economically in the area.”
While business contributions were down this year, Coker said she was happy to report that more than 200 new individual donors brought the total number of individual contributors to 750.
A total of 68 businesses and public institutions contributed to the fund.
An early contribution of $29,391.87 came from employees of Port Townsend Paper Corp., the county’s largest private employer.
By contrast, the 2005-06 campaign netted $324,000 in contributions, including a $65,000 grant from an anonymous individual via the Seattle Foundation.
Coker and the agency on Wednesday honored several UGN fund-raising volunteers who represented various Jefferson County communities, including Port Townsend, the Tri-Area and south county.
Some examples of the agency’s reach in Jefferson County:
United Good Neighbors supports other programs that address the needs for children through medical support, early intervention or after-school programs. Other programs target the disabled or the most vulnerable members of society through assistance and physical support.
United Good Neighbors can be contacted at 360-385-3797 or lizannecoker@msn.com.
