NORWICH – The Place, also known as The Christian Neighborhood Center of Norwich, Inc., launched its 2014 Annual Campaign at the end of last year with a focus on reaching local businesses for financial support. The organization outreached to more than 600 businesses and plans to shift its focus to individual donors in the spring of 2014.

The Place’s goal is to raise at least $15,000 from the campaign. According to Executive Director Rebecca Sands, the funds raised from the campaign are crucial to The Place and its programs because there isn’t enough grant money to cover all operating expenses.

Sands took over the executive director position at The Place in August of 2013, shortly after programs such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Service Learning had closed. Since joining The not for profit organization, Sands has made it a priority to thwart the loss of any further programs.

“It was very upsetting to join the organization at a time when such valuable community programs had been cut due to the lack of funding,” said Sands. “it remains the goal of all of our employees and volunteers to strengthen the programs we have and develop new ones that the youth of our community need” she added.