CHARLOTTE AMALIE, US. Virgin Islands - The United Way of St. Thomas-St. John has announced the allocation of $539,000 in funds to its 16 community service organizations for 2004. This amount represents a 12% increase over 2003 allocations by the United Way, and is contingent upon the success of the United Way's upcoming fundraising campaign.

The approval of the recommendations of the Allocations Committee by the United Way board of directors at its August 21st meeting concluded a rigorous 12-week evaluation process of the member agencies programs and budgets. Raymond Green, chairman of the Allocations Committee, said that this year the committee paid particular attention to the agencies' internal controls, reporting systems, and long term needs in addition to evaluating their funding requests. He said, "United Way maximizes the success of our member agencies by providing a reliable source of funding, offering technical assistance and helping them to better plan for the future." Green emphasized that the financial and technical support United Way provides to its agencies is particularly important during this time of drastic local government cutbacks.

The 16 human service agencies to receive United Way funding are:

The American Red Cross - $60,000; V.I. Council, Boy Scouts of America - $55,000; Catholic Charities of the V.I. - $65,000; Civil Air Patrol - $10,000; Dial-A-Ride St. John - $20,000; Dial-A-Ride St. Thomas - $68,000; Ebenezer Gardens - $27,000; Friends of Volunteers in Public Schools - $4,000; Girl Scout Council - $60,000; Legal Services of the V.I. - $45,000; Shaky Acres - $45,000; Yellow Cedar Group Home, United Way's newest member agency, - $25,000; Downstreet People's Youth In Action - $30,000; V. I. Institute for Teaching and Learning - $15,000; Lutheran Reformation Summer Program - $5,000; and St. Thomas Reformed Church Summer Program - $5,000. United Way has also set aside $24,000 for the support of innovative projects that address emerging and unmet needs for children at-risk through its Venture Grant Program.

Final confirmation of allocations will be made at the completion of the campaign in early 2004.