Much of the $523,915 spent to promote passage of the Montgomery County Human Services Levy came from organizations that will benefit from passage of the tax issue on the Nov. 2 ballot.

The single largest contributor, The Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, gave $150,000 to the levy campaign.

Member hospitals share $5.9 million in levy funds annually. That money goes toward the $170 million hospitals collectively incur providing services to the poor, said Bryan Bucklew, president and CEO of the association.

The levy also funds programs for children, the frail elderly, along with people with metal health and addiction issues. Bucklew said without the levy funds “many more people would end up at a hospital.”

Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Services served an estimated 20,000 children and adults in 2009 with $26.8 million in levy funds via agencies such as DayMont Behavioral Health Care, Inc.; Eastway Corporation; Samaritan Behavioral Health Inc. and South Community Inc. Those agencies combined donated $38,760 to the campaign.

Joe Szoke, executive director of ADAMHS, said the system targeted raising about $55,000 for the levy and reached that goal. Organizations receiving levy funding through ADAMHS were each given a suggested amount to donate to the levy campaign based on their level of funding.

“I happen to believe that if you really believe in the cause you’re working for, you should support it,” Szoke said.