It’s reflection and strategy time as the 2019 United Way of Chatham-Kent Campaign closes.
The campaign raised $1.44-million this year, just shy of its 1.5-million goal.
Director of Donor Engagement Tom Slager says the difficulty has always been effective communication.
“the biggest challenge that we have every year is conveying the impact the impact of what those dollars do,” Slager says. “There’s an awful lot of things people can donate to. It’s always our challenge, can we be compelling, can we explain to people easily if you make a donation, this is what that donation’s going to do in the community.”
One of the new tools used this year was a mobile donor kiosk, similar to an ATM, and while it proved useful at times, Slager says other times it seemed as though people didn’t know what to do with it.
“Things are moving more digital, more online, doing things from your phone,” Slager says. “There’s challenges around that because it’s trying to learn how that technology works and how it can make things easier.”
This year’s campaign was chaired by committee for the first time, with the folks from Advanced Realty Solutions handling the duties.