By Ari Bloomekatz
Enquirer staff writer

The United Way of Greater Cincinnati announced its annual fund-raising campaign goal Thursday - $61,125,000 for service programs and organizations around the area.

That's about 1 percent higher than last year's goal of $60.5 million.

"We tried to pick a number that would cause us to stretch a little bit, but is still responsible," said James Schwab, co-chairman of this year's Greater Cincinnati United Way campaign with his wife, Vivian Schwab.

Beginning Thursday morning in Middletown, the Schwabs and groups of United Way volunteers made their way around Greater Cincinnati announcing this year's goal and praising the amount already raised in each region of the campaign.

During the day's last stop at the entrance to the Purple People Bridge in Newport, Eric Sumee, chairman of the United Way campaign in Northern Kentucky announced that $1.6 million had already been raised, more than 40 percent of his region's goal of more than $3.8 million.

Toyota topped his donations list with more than $550,000.

The campaign has already reached nearly $15.5 million, a little over 25 percent of the Greater Cincinnati goal.

The United Way of Greater Cincinnati was able to meet its goal last year, but Vivian Schwab said one of the reason's this year's number will continue to be tough to achieve is because of poor business conditions in recent years.

Success hinges on securing donations from large corporate supporters, new and small businesses, as well as expanding leadership giving, which are individual donations of $2,500 or more, James Schwab said.

The campaign ends Oct. 28.

E-mail abloomekatz@enquirer.com