Despite hurricanes dipping into people's pockets, the United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties is still on target to raise about $3.7 million, the majority to be distributed to agencies starting July 1.Jeff Blass, outgoing chairman of the United Way board, said at the agency's annual meeting Monday the volunteer campaign team, headed by Bob Davis, has collected $3.4 million so far. The total should reach about $3.7 million when the final tally is announced in March. Those amounts exclude about $500,000 in in-kind donations.
United Way contributors are the single largest source of non-governmental funding for its 51 member agencies.
Last year, the United Way raised $3.6 million excluding in-kind donations.
Blass, senior executive vice president of SunTrust Bank of East Central Florida, said despite the numerous challenges last year, the campaign team "did not allow the storms to deter them."
"Overall, 2004 was an extremely successful year," Blass said.
Jim Weite, chief executive officer of Cypress Coquina Bank, the new chairman of the board, said United Way officials hope to help even more people this upcoming year.
The United Way plans to have a broad group of professionals, local officials and other individuals evaluate the impact of health and human services agencies in the area to better direct funding to those in need, Weite said. The group also will assess the long-term effect of the hurricanes.
"There is still a tremendous amount of unmet needs in our community," Weite said.
People who are successful, he said, should help those less fortunate. One of his goals is to get 1,000 people to donate $1,000 a year.
Also at the meeting, the United Way and the Volusia County Council honored Ned Newell, a longtime volunteer who died in September of cancer. Newell served on the board of directors and First Call For Help's advisory board and was instrumental in implementing the new 211 telephone system. The system, which will be available Feb. 11, allows people to dial 2-1-1 to be referred to various agencies for assistance.
Other officers elected Monday, include Bob Davis, chairman-elect, who is president/CEO of the Hotel/Motel Association and Tom Dargan, 2005 campaign chair, who is CEO of Southern Community Bank.
