BLOOMINGTON - It's third down and long for United Way of McLean County's 2008 fundraising campaign. United Way announced Thursday that it has raised $2,124,666, or 45.8 percent, of its $4,638,000 goal in the campaign that began Aug. 27.

The campaign ends Dec. 31, meaning United Way volunteers and staff members have six weeks to raise most of the money.

"We're concerned, yes," admitted campaign chairman Alan Chapman. United Way President Greg Cott said the recession is a factor.

But Chapman and Cott noted that some employers are conducting their United Way employee fundraising campaigns later than usual this fall and those campaigns wrap up Nov. 30. United Way is counting on those efforts to put the campaign closer to its goal.

"We have a number of very significant campaigns that will conclude Nov. 30 and they will be very important to the outcome," said Chapman, a retired Unit 5 school superintendent.

Cott said, "We have not heard yet from some of our major employers."

United Way's 2007 campaign was at 76 percent of goal by Nov. 27. But Chapman said every campaign is different and it's difficult to compare campaigns before they're completed.

United Way continues to ask for money as holiday appeals by a variety of charities begin. Cott said United Way will focus on contacting traditional donors who haven't made a pledge this year, while reaching out to new donors.

"To get to our goal is going to take all of us pulling together," Cott said.

One message will be that the struggling economy, while affecting donors, is having a bigger impact on people in need and those are the people served by agencies that are funded by United Way, Cott said. United Way helps to fund and monitor the impact of 46 programs run by 29 local social service agencies, including The Baby Fold, Western Avenue Community Center, Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal, Project Oz and American Red Cross of the Heartland.

"We are out there in a very broad context, helping to make our community a better place to live for all of us," Cott said. "We can only do that through the generosity of the people of McLean County."

Anyone who wishes to give may go to www.uwaymc.org or call (309) 828-7383.