This year's goal for the United Way of Chatham-Kent fundraising campaign is $1.725-million.
That's about $18,000 more than what was raised last year.
Tom Slager, United Way director of resource development, says the money goes a long way to help deserving community groups and agencies throughout the year.
"It's the bare minimum to maintain the levels of programs and services that we're supporting as is," says Slager.
The 2017 fundraising goal was announced at the campaign launch Friday night.
The campaign runs until the end of December.
Slager hopes to beat the goal.
"The goal is a number but the goal is also to try and beat that number because if we can beat that number we can do a lot more good in the community," Slager says.
Slager hopes to bring to life what the fundraising actually does for people.
"There's going to be more impact out there. People are going to hopefully get a better idea what a dollar to the United Way means to somebody in the community. That's one of our big goals too, to bring education," says Slager.