SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A Yellowknife non-profit group will have an extra $4,000 to help youth in the city stay engaged in community programs after the United Way named it as one of its 2010 fundraising recipients Nov. 5.

SideDoor Ministries received $4,000 in funding from the United Way that will contribute to the group's after-school program. From left, Todd Sasaki, program co-ordinator, Kain Bezha, 12; Jvon Chavez, 8; and Justin Chavez, 12; play a game of Connect 4 on Nov. 8. - Terrence McEachern/NNSL photo Groups receiving money from united way Canadian Hard of Hearing Association - $5,000 Ecology North - $3,500 Literacy Outreach Centre - $4,115 Saint John Ambulance Council for NWT and Nunavut - $12,000 Smart Communities Society - $5,000 Taiga Adventure Camp - $5,600 The Salvation Army (foot wash group) - $3,420 Yellowknife Association of Community Living - $4,000 Yellowknife Family Centre - $8,000 Yellowknife Women's Society and Centre for Northern Families - $10,000 SideDoor Youth Ministries - $4,000

Todd Sasaki, program co-ordinator for SideDoor Youth Ministries, said some of the $4,000 will help with the group's youth programs, especially its summer and March break camp programs offered to kids at an affordable rate. Along with other donations, the funding will also allow the group to offer its after-school program for kids ages six to 13 at no cost.

This year, the United Way received 11 applications seeking a total of $139,423. But the organization was only able to raise enough to fund $64,635 divided between the applicants.

Overall, Yellowknife United Way raised approximately $85,000. The difference of about $20,000 was collected locally but sent to branches outside of Yellowknife.

Conversely, the Yellowknife United Way received donations from branches outside of the city for Yellowknife non-profit groups, said Wayne Guy, chairman of the board for the Yellowknife United Way.

Guy said the role of the United Way is to act as an intermediary between non-profit groups that require funding and potential donors. The organization receives funding and then disperses it to non-profits that focus on youth and poverty.

"The cost of living in this city is really prohibitive," said Guy. "Until we have more affordable housing and a mechanism for which people can take care of themselves with a more modest income, we're going have serious trouble in this city.

"We have to have the cost of living be such that one doesn't need a $100,000 salary just to pay the rent," said Guy.

Bob McLeod, Yellowknife South MLA and minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, attended the funding announcement Nov. 5 at the Centre Square Mall. He said the United Way is a benefit to the community and makes the city a better place to live.

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