The elderly and disabled make it to doctors' appointments, to the store - wherever they need to so.

Recovering alcoholics and drug addicts have a safe place to stay while working the 12 steps.

Foster children go to summer camp at a beach on St. John.

Those are just a few of the activities sponsored by the 17 human service agencies the United Way of St. Thomas-St. John helps support with its annual fund-raising campaign - a campaign that ends today and so far has fallen more than $220,000 short of its $650,000 goal.

"We're very concerned about meeting that goal," said Thyra Hammond, executive director of the United Way of St. Thomas-St. John.

The organization will continue to accept donations and pledges for this campaign through March 31.

She said the declining economy and corporate downsizing and restructuring, along with the possibility of war, have contributed to the fund-raising slump.

"Nationally, nonprofits are having a hard time," Hammond said. Unfortunately, she said, the uncertain economic climate also has caused other funding sources to dry up for the 17 agencies that benefit from United Way donations, causing them to "turn more and more to the United Way."

Last year was the first year United Way increased its fund-raising goal to $650,000, and in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, the organization actually exceeded the amount, generating $658,887.

"Last year, there really was an outpouring of support because of Sept. 11," Hammond said. "People really felt they needed to connect with their communities."

This year, the United Way will push ahead with the remainder of its fund-raising activities - two raffles and a flea market.

The flea market is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 22 at the American Legion Hall in Sub Base.

Drawings for the two raffles will take place March 28. Among the prizes are a cruise and overnight stays at various resorts and hotels; tickets are $5 each or $50 for 11. The second raffle, for a penthouse suite on a Carnival Cruise, is limited to 200 participants and tickets are $20 each.

For more information or to donate to the United Way, call 774-3185.

The United Way's member agencies are: American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America V.I. Council, Carabana Ensemble Theater Company, Catholic Charities of the V.I., Civil Air Patrol, Dial-A-Ride of St. Thomas, Dial-A-Ride of St. John, Downstreet People's Youth in Action, Ebenezer Gardens, Friends of Volunteers in Public Schools, Girl Scout Council of the V.I., Legal Services of the V.I., Shaky Acres, V.I. Institute for Teaching and Learning, Fair Havens Summer Camp, Lutheran Reformation Summer Program and St. Thomas Reformed Church Summer Program.