WILLMAR -- Two local charitable organizations are still working toward their 2006 fundraising goals, but they are still optimistic going into the last business day of the year.
The Salvation Army's Red Kettle drive raised almost $92,000 toward its $109,000 goal, administrative assistant Jessie Manzer said Thursday afternoon.
The United Way of Kandiyohi County had raised $580,000 by Thursday. The goal of its 2006 campaign is $630,000.
The West Central Tribune's Warm the Children program did reach its goal. As of Thursday, the Tribune had raised $37,000, surpassing its $35,000 goal. Warm The Children raises funds to provide warm clothing for children in Kandiyohi, Meeker, Renville, Chippewa, Yellow Medicine and Swift counties.
The Salvation Army provided food or gifts for more than 1,200 people in the county this Christmas.
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"There's still time" to get a contribution in before the end of the year, Manzer said, and the organization also accepts donations throughout the year.
A total of 301 families applied for food and gift assistance, which provided help for a total of 951 people, said case manager Ben Green. The Salvation Army helped another 73 families that missed the sign-up deadline by providing either food or gifts. In those families, another 250 children received gifts from the program.
Some of the holiday money goes toward that effort, and the rest stays within the community to provide homeless assistance and other social services throughout the year, Green said. The organization also has an after-school program.
All of the gifts distributed this year were donated from the community. It was an overwhelming response, he said.
"We had gifts for everyone; we didn't have to turn anyone away," he said. "We had a lot of great volunteers who made it happen.
Jennie-O Turkey Store donated turkey for food baskets, and the rest of that food was purchased from a food bank and from local grocers.
At the United Way, checks are also still coming in, said Gina Mueller, resource development and marketing coordinator.
Some businesses are still conducting their in-house fundraising, she said, and the United Way was also still receiving checks this week.
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The United Way uses the donations to provide funding for a variety of programs in the county.
"If everybody who gave last year gives this year, we will definitely meet our goal," Mueller said.
Donations should be received before the end of the year to be deducted off 2006 taxes, "but we take in contributions throughout the year," she said.
The United Way is accepting donations at the office at 322 Fourth St. S.W., through the mail to P.O. Box 895, by credit card online at www.unitedwaykc.org , or at drop boxes at Cash Wise and Cub Foods.
The Salvation Army office is located at 521 Fourth St. S.W. Donations may be made online at www.thesalarmy . com.
