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The number crunchers say that at least $600,000 in donations to last year’s United Way of Greater Greensboro campaign could disappear this year, thanks to job cuts and company closings.

An official campaign goal won’t be announced by the nonprofit for another week, but the effort to find untapped sources just to fill the money gap — and new need — has been at a feverish pitch all summer, said Keith Barsuhn, the president of United Way. The organization raises money for community agencies.

“The call volume for the consumer credit counseling center at Family Service of the Piedmont has doubled, the Women’s Resource Center is up again another 30 percent — the waiting list has grown even higher for child care scholarships,” Barsuhn said.

“We are looking at a great deal of need.”

Last year’s campaign raised $12.8 million, which was $200,000 short of its goal and reduced giving to community agencies that use the money to help meet their budgets.

“I can’t recommend a lower goal,” Chairman Tim Rice hinted of the upcoming 2009-10 campaign.

The United Way pours millions of dollars annually into community agencies, ranging from hospice care to adult literacy, and community efforts, such as “Thriving by Three,” which helps prepares at-risk children for kindergarten.

“You cannot look around this community and not see friends and neighbors, co-workers and others, in trouble,” said Rice, chief executive officer at Moses Cone Health System.

Rice recently explained the increasing need in a meeting with CEOs of local companies.

“I didn’t see anybody’s checkbook come out, but I saw a lot of heads nod,” Rice said.

“Already, we’ve talked to people who could give an excuse not to give but they’ve committed,” Rice said. “They’re not going to use that excuse.”

Barsuhn hopes that new projects will help increase giving. One initiative involves merchants who would provide discount cards to those who give $120 or more to the United Way annually. Part of the push is through auxiliaries, including African American Leadership and the Legacy Society.

“We are getting a lot of traction around folks who think they are investing in the community … who feel like they can produce results in the community,” said Kristen Yntema, a chairwoman of Young Leaders. It’s an auxiliary whose members’ ages range from their 20’s to 40’s. The group hopes to get 1,000 people to give $120 each.

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com