Donations to disaster relief hurt local fund raising efforts

While Iowans are donating money to September 11th-related charities in record numbers, some -other- charities are struggling. Groups like the Salvation Army, Cancer Society and Lung Association are seeing definite dips in their usual collections. The United Way of Central Iowa just launched a 14-million dollar fundraising campaign and chapter president Martha Willits is optimistic. She says there’s a strong awareness of the things that the money is spent on locally.Other regional United Way chapters have seen the flood of donations shrink to a trickle. Willits says central Iowans are digging deeper in their pockets and souls to make contributions.The Central Iowa United Way chapter funds 67 agencies and 110 programs from this annual September to November campaign. Willits hopes Iowans can find a way to help victims of terrorism, while maintaining the support for vital programs at home.