Volunteers hit the street Wednesday to thank 12 downtown Vicksburg businesses for supporting United Way of West Central Mississippi and to seek help from 24 more.

United Way

For more information, contact Barbara Tolliver at 601-636-1733 or visit www.unitedwayvicksburg.org.

“Research tells us that some don’t give because we don’t ask,” said Barbara Tolliver, executive director.

Despite how hard the economy is hitting charities, Miles Marcus, vice president of Marcus Furniture at 1210 Washington St., said the store will continue to donate.

“I already know Ms. Tolliver appreciates what we do,” he said.

Marcus said the store his family has owned and operated for more than 100 years has given quarterly checks as long as Marcus has been employed there — 21 years.

“We know United Way knows the community,” he said. “By contributing to United Way, we know the funds will get to where they need to go.”

LaKevion Trotter, a summer work student from Tuskegee University, started walking at Rusty’s Riverfront Grill, on Washington Street at Main, and walked three blocks south, thanking businesses along the way.

“We’re telling business owners who are avid supporters, ‘thank you,’ and asking them to support our 2009 campaign that starts in September,” she said.

“We had one person give a contribution on the spot,” she said. “We had some good promises made today.”

The United Way of West Central Mississippi has set a 2009 goal of $1.4 million, said Tolliver, down from last year’s $1,525,000.

Volunteers Wednesday broke up into three teams and footed it from the 900 to the 1700 block of Washington Street offering cups of candy to current partners and brochures to potential donors.

Many Vicksburg businesses also partner with United Way by working with non-profit agencies such as The Red Cross, The Salvation Army, MIDD-West and Good Shepherd Community Center, Tolliver said.

The campaign collects money through individual and business gifts, payroll deducation plans and other approaches. A volunteer allocations committee then screens charities applying for the money and apportions donations collected.

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Contact Tish Butts at tbutts@vicksburgpost.com