Yellowknife (Oct 15/04) - The United Way's 2004 fundraising campaign touches down in Yellowknife today.

The launch will be held in the YK Inn parking lot around noon and will feature presentations from agencies who have received funding from the United Way in the past.

Also, the campaign's fundraising goal for this year will be unveiled and those familiar red thermometers will begin to appear around the city.

Last year, the United Way raised approximately $75,000 -- "a couple hundred dollars" over the campaign's stated goal, according to president Patrick Perraud. In 2002, the United Way's first year in Yellowknife, the group raised $63,000. Perraud didn't want to tip his hand by revealing the goal for this year's campaign but said it's "up, definitely up" from last year.

The United Way operates mainly through payroll deductions from the employees of local businesses and government departments. Businesses also hold special events to raise money from the community.

NorthwesTel, for instance, will again host its annual pumpkin-carving competition, said Perraud. Money donated to the United Way can either be designated towards a registered Canadian charity or be given to the United Way's Yellowknife Community Fund.

Administrative costs on general donations are capped at 10 per cent but 99.25 per cent of money given to the Community Fund makes it to local charities.

Agencies submit proposals to the Community Fund and funds raised are then distributed. Past beneficiaries of the fund include the Yellowknife Family Centre -- the Toy-lending Library -- the Yellowknife Foster Family Association, the Salvation Army and the NWT Literacy Council.

Boon to literacy council

Money from the Community Fund was a big help to the Literacy Council. According to community literacy facilitator Lisa Campbell, the group received $10,000 from the United Way last year and will get another $7,000 this year.

Initiatives financed by the council last year included a parenting program at the Yellowknife Family Centre, a Dogrib family literacy program through the Dettah Language Centre and a literacy program for the YWCA Transitional Housing Project, which included free books for kids.

Campbell said all of the programs, most about six weeks long, were successful.

The most heartening thing, however, is that the three groups are going to continue with the programming from last year.

"It's nice having that open pot to draw on and that they let you do what you want," Campbell said of the Community Fund. "The United Way is very supportive of literacy as a way to combat poverty."

The United Way raised $370 million across Canada last year. The Yellowknife campaign is scheduled to last six weeks.