Kauai United Way hits
80% of fund-raising goal
LIHUE >> Kauai United Way collected 80 percent of its $550,000 campaign goal for 2003, Scott Giarman, United Way executive director, said yesterday.
The charity issued an appeal for more contributions. Any money collected by March will be added to last year's total of $440,000.
Despite improvements in Hawaii's economy, Giarman said the need is very great. Kauai's three-year housing shortage coupled with increases in the cost of living push more and more working-class families to the brink of homelessness, he said.
Giarman said the Kauai goal has been $550,000 for the past several years and the county has fallen short each of the past several years. The agency's board has refused to lower the goal, and still believes it is realistic.
On the bright side, collections on Kauai -- though short of the goal -- increased 2 percent last year while nationally they decreased by 4 percent, Giarman said.
Kauai United Way receives about two-thirds of its donations through payroll deductions, another 15 percent from corporate donors, and the balance from fund-raisers such as its annual walkathon and golf tournament.