Local Givers on Target With United Way

Despite a soft economy and disruptions caused by the Persian Gulf crisis, Ventura County is bucking a nationwide trend and meeting United Way’s 1990-91 fund-raising goal, agency officials reported Tuesday.

Spearheaded by 3,000 volunteers who spread the word in companies and organizations across the county, United Way of Ventura County thus far has managed to avoid serious money-raising problems that have confronted its national parent and some of the 64 local agencies it helps support, officials said.

“At this point, we’re on target” in a countywide campaign to raise more than $6 million, said Colleen Hunter, executive director of the county United Way. The goal would be a 10% increase over the $5.6 million contributed last year.

As of Tuesday, the drive had raised $3.7 million since it was officially launched Sept. 1. The campaign ends Dec. 31, but money received after that will be recorded as part of the 1990-91 campaign, Hunter said.

The county group’s success contrasts with the experience of its parent, United Way of America. “Things are certainly a little tighter this year,” said Tony De Cristofaro, United Way of America’s chief spokesman, in a telephone interview from Alexandria, Va.

De Cristofaro said contributions to this year’s $3 billion U.S. drive are up only 4.8% over a year ago. This, he said, falls significantly short of the projected increase of 6.8%.

“We’re raising more money than last year, but unless things improve, there’s a good chance it won’t be enough to keep up with inflation,” he said.

“I know you’re not supposed to say the R word, but many communities in this country are going through a recession. That means some folks who used to support United Way now are depending on it for food, shelter and other services.”

In addition, De Cristofaro said, the deployment of hundreds of thousands of military personnel to the Middle East has made it virtually impossible to seek contributions from them. “Normally, they’re among our major supporters,” he said.

Locally, the business downturn is blamed for the failure of several United Way agencies to reach their independent fund-raising targets.

The Oxnard Corps of the Salvation Army has reported a sharp decrease in the number of families volunteering to help the needy in its Adopt-A-Family Christmas program.

Similar difficulties in obtaining public support have been experienced by two other Oxnard charity services, run by Food Share Inc. and Mary Star of the Sea Church. And Fillmore Voluntary Services, which feeds the hungry year-round, said this year’s donations are down about 30%.

Hunter said two groups--the county’s thousands of federal employees and aerospace-defense workers--have been major factors in the success of the countywide campaign.

“Some of the aerospace and defense companies have had serious layoffs. But in many cases, the people still on the payroll have made up for this by increasing their per-capita contributions,” she said. As a result, contributions from aerospace and defense workers have so far exceeded projections by $52,000, Hunter said.

For example, she cited Contel Federal Systems in Westlake Village, whose employees and managers have pledged more than $43,000. “That’s less than they gave last year, but employment at the plant is off significantly. Their per-capita contributions are up.”

Hunter said Ventura County employees of Teledyne Electronics in Westlake Village and Exxon have also increased individual giving after seeing some of their fellow workers laid off.

Thus far, Hunter said, the thousands of federal employees at Navy installations at Point Mugu, Port Hueneme and elsewhere in the county have given more than was expected even though hundreds of military personnel have shipped out in support of Operation Desert Shield.

The federal workers have given $855,000 to United Way--$55,000 above their goal and nearly $100,000 more than last year, Hunter reported.

Workers at the county’s biggest private employer, GTE California, have not yet completed their 1990-91 campaign, but the corporation already has given United Way a $65,000 gift, Hunter said. “Their workers are usually No. 1 in the county and we expect them to repeat again this year.”

About 76% of all United Way of Ventura County contributions are made through payroll deductions, Hunter said.

Angela Light, the county agency’s campaign director, said she was gratified by the results thus far, but noted that “our increases were even higher--15% to 22% annually--in the early 1980s.” In those days, she said, Ventura County led the nation in fund-raising among counties its size.

Still, Hunter said, county residents this year “have been very, very generous. They know some people are having a tough time. We’ve found that those who are still employed want to share with others.”