There's still time to donate to fund drive

 If mailing your United Way pledge card got lost in the holiday excitement, there’s still time to give tax-deductible donations for 2010.

Donations and pledges dated by Dec. 31 can be claimed on 2010 tax returns.

To date, 72.2 percent of the 2010 United Way fundraising goal of $825,000 has been raised. Pledges will be accepted through Feb. 28.

Donors may choose how to donate, including cash, payroll deductions, charging to a  credit card, direct billing or automatic bank transfers.

Donors also may designate which member agencies or nonaffiliated partner agencies or the Montana Shares Federation they want to receive their gift.

For more information on the United Way campaign, call 752-7266.

Donations may be mailed to P.O. Box 7217, Kalispell MT 59904.

“Listen to Your Heart” is the theme of the 2010 United Way fund drive, which benefits a variety of nonprofit agencies that help people throughout Northwest Montana.

Last year, United Way member agencies helped nearly 46,000 people in need. Ninety-nine percent of all money raised stays in local communities.

Current member agencies are Big Brothers and Sisters, Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs of Glacier Country, Eagle Transit, First Call for Help-Net,  Flathead CARE, Flathead Food Bank, Flathead Youth Home, Girl Scouts, Head Start, Literacy Volunteers, Mental Health Crisis Line, Nurturing Center, Retired & Senior Volunteer Program, Samaritan House, Sinopah House, Special Friends Advocacy Program, Summit Independent Living Center and the Violence Free Crisis Line/Abbie Shelter.

Services supported by the United Way include CASA for Kids, Disaster Care Services, Gateway Community Center, Leaders of Tomorrow Montana 2-1-1 Database Project, the United Way Volunteer Center and Youth Suicide Prevention Project.

The United Way also supports emergency food and shelter programs in Northwest Montana: Bread Basket, Community Harvest Food Bank, DOVES, Helping Hands, Hot Springs Food Pantry, Lake County Mental Health Center, Libby Food Pantry, Mission Valley Food Pantry, Neighbors in Need, Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry, Salvation Army Feeding Program, Thompson Falls Food Pantry and Troy Food Pantry.