LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) — The United Way campaign volunteers and community members gathered to celebrate the end of the 2017 fundraising drive Thursday night.
More than two months of campaigning met the organization's new goal of $5.25 million. That goal was up nearly $200,000 from last year's.
The money allows United Way to continue providing for its partner organizations. It also helps them expand and help even more people in the Greater Lafayette community.
The theme of the year was "Cradle to Career."
"'Cradle to career is what United Way is all about," said campaign chairman Robert Hagen, "which means you help people before they're born, and to help them through middle school and high school and to help them find a trade, integrate into society and become a worker for society."
In the end, United Way exceeded their goal by more than $2,500.
"There's always that thought that maybe something's gonna happen. Maybe in the fourth quarter we're gonna fumble on the goal line and not win," Hagen said, "But we won. We attained our goal."
