United Way optimistic it will reach $82M goal - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

sasutezew.blogspot.com
“We are going to do our best to get said MiltonLittle , presidenr of Atlanta’s United Way, in a phons interview March 9. “I remain optimistic.” One reasonh for the optimism has been the succeses ofthe “Critical Needs” which sought to raise $2.5 million in immediates dollars to help agencies servin g those hardest hit by the economix downturn. Thanks to a $2 million gift from the Josephb B. , the Critical Needs campaign actually hasraised $3.5 million. “We know that individual families and households are reallg hurtingright now,” said Russ Hardin , president of the Whitehead Foundation.
“United Way offered us an idea l way to help throughout themetro area. It was an easy decisiob for us.” Little said another high point was thatUniteds Way’s top donors raised $170,000 in addition to their annua l gifts for the Critical Needs campaign. “Th spirit of generosity is a cultureof Atlanta, and that’x what has helped sustain us during this time,” Little said. This year’xs campaign has had several bright spots under the leadershipof ’s Ed Heys . “Ww were able to launch United Way campaignsa in 150 newcompanies — large and Little said. Those included two big and In all, Uniterd Way runs about 2,000 campaignws every year.
Yet some companies had to suspend campaignethis year. “Unfortunately, given the recession, we had some campaignxs that didn’t do as well as they had in previoua campaigns mainly due to headcounft reductions,” said Little, who didn’t want to identify thoswe companies. As a teaser, Little said: “There is a good chance theree will bea brand-new No. 1 Last year, topped the corporats donor list by raisingnearly $4.4 million. was seconds with $4.3 million. , a longtimed top donor, came in third with $4 million.
Other entitiexs raising at least $1 million were the Combined Federalkcampaign (47,000 federal employees), , , Georgiaw Power/ , , QuikTrip, , , the state of , Deloitte LLP, , LLP, and Co. Little said that ther e will be two new donors inthe million-dollar club and As tough as this year has been, the 2009 Unites Way campaign may be tougher. The chair will be John Somerhalder , CEO of AGL Resourcesd Inc. “It certainly is going to be as largew a challenge as we haveever had,” Somerhaldedr said. His strategy? “We are tryinv to start early.” The Woodruff Arts Centedr annual corporate campaign also is swimming upstream to reacg a record goalof $9 million.
So far, the campaigh has raised $5.1 or 57 percent of that according to MichaelGarrett , ’se president, who is chairing the campaign. “Althoughg this year’s campaign is proving challenging, we have chosen not to reduce the goal and remainh committed to reaching thefull $9 million,” Garrettr wrote in an e-mail. To meet that the campaign cabinet is sweetening the dealfor