MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Content Editor
Posted: Sunday, February 21, 2010 6:10 am

The Great Recession has taken its toll on the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties’ 2009 campaign.

“It’s been a tough year and a tough economy,” United Way President Brian Hercules said.

The tough economy took a chunk out of the United Way’s pledges in the 2009 campaign. At its close Sunday, Feb. 14, the charity to charities had only raised 80 percent of its $2.8 million goal, falling short of the $2.7 million in pledges received in 2008.

Although the organization raised an unprecedented sum last year, there were still $1.4 million in unmet requests from partner agencies due to lack of funding.

And this year’s $2.2 million won’t meet all the needs in the community.

The funds raised during the United Way campaign are allocated back to its 45 partner agencies throughout Rutherford and Cannon counties.

The funds that are allocated back to the partner agencies intend to meet the most serious community needs first. In fact, United Way agencies directly impacted more than 93,000 people, or about one-third of the population, in Rutherford and Cannon counties last year.

The need is so great, Hercules and the United Way staff isn’t giving up on the 2009 campaign yet. They are still out fundraising and have started on organizing the 2010 campaign.

“We’d like to reach the total campaign,” he said. “That’s the reason we have a goal … to meet the needs of the community.

“We’re going to make this a better place to live, raise your children and take care of our senior citizens,” Hercules said.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.