For parts of four decades, the United Way of Robeson County has been there when the rest of us needed a helping hand.

During that time, it has raised millions of dollars that have been distributed to local agencies that provide a range of services, from helping victims of sexual abuse, to feeding and clothing the homeless, to putting books into the hands of small children to get them on the quickest path of learning, and even to scouting.

And don’t make this common mistake: If you have supported the agency in the past with your dollars or through volunteering, don’t assume that you have not benefited as well from the agencies that United Way supports. Contrary to common thought, United Way agencies in this county support pretty much all of us at one time or the other, and not just the downtrodden.

But as we write this, it is the local chapter that is in need of help.

Simply said, Hurricane Florence blew away the local chapter’s 2018 fundraising campaign, which annually reaches a feverish pitch during the fall.

But following Florence’s mid-September visit, United Way officials were otherwise occupied, providing assistance from the storm. Likewise, many of the industries that United Way officials visit to attempt to enlist in company campaigns were themselves dealing with their own emergencies.

The result: United Way of Robeson County, which had a campaign goal of $750,000, is about $300,000 short of that figure. The agency has done what it can inwardly, tightening its own belt to include freezing open positions, but it can’t save itself out of this shortfall. What it needs is for people who can to step up and write a check.

That is our call today.

The United Way’s campaign goal of $750,000 is not plucked from the air. Instead, United Way officials, including board members, vet applications for their worthiness and then agree on an amount that the campaign, if the goal is reached, will provide the agency. Remember that many of these agencies lean hard on United Way for funding because, quite frankly, while good at providing services, they aren’t good at raising money in support of that effort.

United Way officials in recent days have started some outreach, taking the unusual step of appearing before the Robeson County Board of Commissioners and the City Council to ask if those local governments could make contributions. The officials also approached this newspaper about informing the public on the crisis they are facing, which we did with a Page 1A story on Saturday and with today’s Our View.

The reality is simple: If United Way doesn’t somehow hit the jackpot, then the agencies, for the first time in the chapter’s history, will be shortchanged, and that most certainly will inhibit their abilities to deliver services. As we said, United Way helps agencies that provide services to all Robeson County residents, but those who would suffer the most are certainly going to be those who live on the margin.

So our plea today to those who can do so, whether they are individuals, businesses, nonprofits, clubs or local governments, is to consider a gift to United Way. To find out how best to do so, call 910-739-4249.