United Way in Sudbury, Nipissing makes urgent appeal for donations

Morning North6:04Urgent appeal for donations from United Way

United Way Sudbury and Nipissing still needs $100 thousand in donations to meet its fundraising target. If it doesn't meet that target, programs could lose money. Michael Cullen of the United Way joined us in studio to discuss the situation.

The United Way in Sudbury and Nipissing is $100,000 behind in its annual fundraising campaign, and time is running out to make up the difference.

The organization has put out an urgent appeal for donations, which go toward community services for children and people living in poverty.

Executive director Michael Cullen told CBC News there are many ways to give to the United Way.

"People may not know that you don't have to just give to United Way. We can invoice folks. We can invoice businesses, so we have all those tools at our disposal," he said.

Cullen noted people need to know that United way doesn't just do a payroll campaign.

It's become more challenging over the years to get funding from individual donors, he added.

Local services could be affected if the funds don't come through.

The money pays for United Way community services, such as the hospice, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

"We don't like to think of that right now. We've always pushed through," he said.

"There's been some tough campaigns over the past 33 years, so we've always prevailed. It's just a matter of how we do that in the next month."

Cullen said he hopes to make up the $100,000 shortfall by February. People can make a donation by calling the organization or by visiting unitedwaysudbury.com.