NATCHEZ — The United Way of the Greater Miss-Lou will host a community forum at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 8, at the Natchez Convention Center.

A year removed from going to an all-volunteer organization and closing its Natchez office, the charity organization is looking for support, said forum organizer Deanne Tanksley at a recent Adams County Board of Supervisors meeting.

Tanksley said the organization does not just need financial support, but support from volunteers and people interested in serving on the board of directors.

“We want all levels of the community to get reinvigorated and back to supporting what I think is a vital part of this community,” she said. “We need input from the community on whether or not we are going to continue.”

Without the support, the United Way may have to close its chapter in Natchez, Tanksley said.

Volunteer Mike Gemmell said the organization is getting the word out to all community stakeholders about the event.

“I am fairly positive we will be able to get the level of community support we are hoping to get,” he said. “We just have to explain to the people what is happening to the United Way.”

Gemmell said many major community employers, which are the primary funding mechanism of the United Way through employee drives, are not contributing like they once did.

Though there are exceptions, Gemmell said, as Brenda Moore with the Concordia Parish School District was able to rally teachers to support.

“For just a few dollars a month, you can keep the United Way functioning to help your friends and neighbors,” Gemmell said. “We have just got to get the message across about how important it is for people who are fortunate enough to have a full-time job to contribute to meet the needs of those in the community who are in need.”

If the local United Way chapter does close, Tanksley said the parent organization is not granting new charters or reinstating defunct charters.

“If we don’t have support, we might end up closing,” she said. “If we do close, it is permanent.”

United Way of Greater Miss-Lou helps support 13 agencies in the area, including Guardian Shelter, Catholic Charities, T.M. Jennings Youth Baseball, Adams County 4-H, Natchez Falcons, Adams County CASA (court appointed special advocates for children) and the local chapter of the American Red Cross.

Tanksley said many in the community have used the resources and someone you know might need the help in the future.

“If we close, it is not something the board should be deciding,” she said. “It should be something decided by the community.”

Gemmell said the United Way is still needed in the Miss-Lou, and he didn’t want to see it close.

“I’m so passionate about what we do with the United Way,” he said. “We’re not going to close up shop, but if we do go down, we’re going down fighting.”

For more information, contact the board at 601-442-1081.