THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 22, 1995 TAG: 9510200188
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Susie Stoughton
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
SUPPOSE YOUR neighbor's house caught fire tonight and they lost everything - their clothes, all their food, their children's toys.
Suppose it happened to you.
How would you begin to cope with such a crisis?
Last year, 25 area families suffered such a loss.
And 25 times, the Suffolk chapter of the American Red Cross responded, providing funds for the families to replace lost articles.
The Red Cross provided nearly $24,000 in direct assistance to help those families begin to get their lives back in order. When a disaster hits, ordinary people like you and me become helpless victims.
Such victims need immediate help.
``They're in a state of shock generally when it happens,'' said Faye Byrum, executive director of the Suffolk chapter of the Red Cross.
But what if your house, or your neighbor's house, caught fire, and the Red Cross had run out of money? What if they weren't there?
``It helps to have someone come in and offer to help them get back on their feet,'' Byrum said.
Like many other local charitable agencies, the organization depends in part on United Way donations.
But the United Way drive this year is far from its goal of $363,860. The campaign, which is nearing its end, depends on all of us.
What if you or your neighbor or a friend suddenly got a pink slip, joining the ranks of the unemployed? In the face of company cutbacks, that's not such an uncommon experience.
Where would you go if your paycheck stopped and you didn't have the money to pay your mortgage or rent?
The Suffolk Shelter for the Homeless opened in 1991 to provide emergency housing for homeless families. Since then, the shelter has helped hundreds of families temporarily displaced because of fire, domestic violence or emergencies such as loss of employment.
What if you or a neighbor or friend had no place to stay and the Homeless Shelter had closed because it ran out of money?
Or suppose someone you know was unemployed, penniless and hungry. What if you or your neighbor went to the Salvation Army's soup kitchen and found it closed for lack of funds?
This year's United Way theme is ``Angels Among Us.'' And Pat Branche, Suffolk's fund-raising director, is desperately looking for some more angels.
``We're really struggling because of the downsizing of so many companies,'' she said. ``The problem in Suffolk is, we don't have any other businesses to fall back on. When our companies don't do well, it's hard for us to make up for it.''
Last year at this time, the United Way drive had reached 91 percent of its goal. This year, they're only at 51.7 percent, and Branche is beginning to panic.
Suffolk is part of the regional fund-raising effort for Hampton Roads, supporting about 70 agencies. The contributions support more than 20 Suffolk agencies - among them the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Children's Center, Family Services and the YMCA of South Hampton Roads. And Suffolk has a new United Way agency this year - Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
What if you or I needed the services of one of these agencies and help was not available? Our United Way dollars also help support the Cancer Society, Heart and Lung associations, the Society for the Aid of Sickle Cell Anemia, United Cerebral Palsy, SEVAMP Senior Services and two food distribution agencies, Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and SHARE Hampton Roads.
Giving to the United Way is the best way to help people, said Dana Brown, marketing/city chair for the Suffolk drive.
``A few dollars can help those less fortunate,'' she said. ``Open your hands instead of closing them.''
It's not too late to be an angel.
If you haven't pledged to this year's United Way drive, contact your United Way coordinator or call the United Way office at 539-1498. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Susan Towler
Pacesetter chairman
``I give to the United Way because it helps people in the
com-mu-ni-ty who don't have suf-fi-ci-ent re-sources to meet their
needs.''
``I give to the United Way because I feel it is important to give in
order to help those less fortunate than myself.
Photo
Doug Casey
Suffolk United Way chairman
``I give to the United Way because it helps people in the
com-mu-ni-ty who don't have suf-fi-ci-ent re-sources to meet their
needs.''
by CNB