NORWICH – With the Chenango County United Way’s annual fundraising campaign well underway – and sights set on a higher monetary goal this year than ever before – the organization is reaching out to the community for help during the toughest weeks of the three-month long campaign.

“We are in an urgent situation,” said Chenango United Way Director Elizabeth Monaco. “Right now, we have reached about 60 percent of our campaign goal. Typically, by this time of year, we are further along.”

With less than six weeks to go before the end of the campaign season, the United Way is quickly approaching the home stretch. The organization has collected more than $263,000 to date; but that’s still alarmingly distant from its $456,000 goal ($12,000 more than the goal reached in 2012). And with more human service agencies all over the county requesting additional United Way funding this year, Monaco said the greatest challenges are yet to come.

“So many organizations are being cut from state and federal resources so they are relying on a strong campaign season. Some of them are in the risk of cutting programs,” she added

For small organizations like the Oxford Youth Center, philanthropic support is critical in keeping the doors open. So a troubling campaign season for the United Way spells bad news, explained program director BJ Ross.