news-record.com

As a 26-year United Way veteran, Keith Barsuhn has seen his share of steep challenges. "But this is absolutely the largest mountain," Barsuhn, president of the United Way of Greensboro, says of the current community giving campaign. "No question about it."

Nor is it a surprise. As the economy slowly regains sounder footing, the United Way is feeling the same pinch as the rest of us. Here's the conundrum: In times like these, United Way-funded services are needed more than ever -- but the greater that need, the tougher it is to raise money from companies that have downsized and from individual donors who may feel lingering unease about their job security.

Corporate campaigns are expected to raise less this year because many of those companies are smaller and some are struggling to survive. So the United Way hopes to fill the void by reaching out to more donors. If United Way can persuade a lot of people to give even a little, Barsuhn figures, maybe it can bridge the gap. The target: adding an ambitious 5,000 new donors to the base of contributors by targeting individuals who don't normally give (among them young professionals) and reaching out more to small businesses.

The pitch: that the ravages of the economic downturn have hit so close to home that it's likelier than ever that your gift may benefit someone you personally know.

Barsuhn rattles off the list of just some of the agencies who rely on United Way for a significant share of their funding: Consumer Credit Counseling Service, the Women's Resource Center, the Salvation Army, area food banks.

One key factor in United Way's favor: the city's stellar record for generosity. Last year, Operation Greensboro Cares, a coalition of organizations that included the United Way, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro and the News & Record, raised more than $300,000 in one month to aid the homeless and replenish local food banks.

Just as every vote counts, so does every kindness. If each of us gives what he or she can, however small, it will make a big difference.