County United Way Hopes to Raise $17.4 Million After Two Poor Years

The United Way of Orange County, which in the past two years has fallen far short of its campaign goals, announced Thursday that it will try to raise $17.4 million this year.

David Carroll, regional vice president of Pacific Bell and this year’s general chairman, said the goal is about 5.5% more than the $16.5 million the local United Way raised in 1986.

Merritt L. Johnson, the United Way president, also announced that the agency has undergone a restructuring aimed at doubling its fund-raising capabilities by 1992.

Last year, United Way had a goal of $19 million but fell $2.5 million short. The shortfall was attributed to a dwindling economy and a controversy involving the Los Angeles United Way, which is autonomous from the Orange County agency. The Los Angeles group ran into criticism when it was revealed early last year that it had made loans to five of its top employees.

In 1985, the Orange County United Way collected $16.5 million of its $18.4-million goal.

Carroll, who called this year’s goal realistic, said about 125 volunteers have been added to solicit money during the United Way’s September-December campaign. He also said the public relations problem created by the Los Angeles controversy won’t hinder this year’s campaign.

“We recognize that our No. 1 priority in 1987 will be to stop the down slide of funding to our agencies,” he said.

Carroll said about 1,250 new businesses with 25 or fewer employees have been targeted for solicitations this year in a bid to broaden the United Way’s traditional base. Until now, United Way has raised 90% of its funds from large corporations.

The campaign chairman also said he would work closely with 20 other large corporations that divide their donations between the United Ways of Orange and Los Angeles counties. He said that in the past the Orange County United Way has not received an equitable allocation from those companies.

“We want to work one on one with some of the chief executive officers to move toward a more equitable arrangement over (the next few years),” Carroll said.

Last December, the United Way told the 122 social service agencies it funds that allocations would be reduced by 10.5%. The group’s officials announced Thursday that allocations would remain at the current level for the rest of 1987 and, they hope, 1988.

The United Way is contributing $11.6 million in each of the next two years to the Orange County agencies.

Of the allocations announced Thursday, $3.4 million will go to agencies that provide health and handicapped services and $2.8 million to youth services. Emergency services will get $2 million, while agencies that provide community services, counseling and family and children services will receive a little more than $1.1 million each.

Jim Ellis, chairman of the distribution committee, said no new agencies have been added to United Way, but prospective new agencies will be reviewed in 1988 if the United Way’s fund-raising improves.