Great Falls groups raise more than $7,000 in MTGives

Great Falls raised $7,155 on MTGives Day, a fundraiser Tuesday for nonprofit groups in Montana.

The bulk of the donations was raised before noon Tuesday, until a nationwide technical glitch caused very limited access to donation websites for the balance of the day.

According to the Montana Community Foundation, which organized the Montana event, people who were unable to donate online Tuesday can still make a donation in other ways: Donate directly to a nonprofit group at its own website, or give through the rest of this week through www.mtcf.org (click on give now, and then write in the name of the group you want to support).

Great Falls groups can still be supported through 11:59 p.m. Friday through the statewide website.

Some Montanans were able to get through to donate online late Tuesday to MTGives.org, but that site is no longer being used to make donations.

There were some success stories across Montana despite the afternoon glitches, said Riley Meredith, spokesman for the Montana Community Foundation. Helenans gave generously in the Capital City, and “it looks like they’re going to beat last year’s (figure),” Meredith said. Anaconda nonprofits also reported positive results, and Meredith said the town of Columbus withstood the computer problems by setting up donor lounges where people could simply drop off old-fashioned checks.

Meredith said a statewide total might be released sometime next week, after donations made through Friday night are counted. The statewide goal of $1 million appears out of reach, he said.

Great Falls nonprofits’ proceeds so far of more than $7,000 are short of a $20,000 goal, but it’s at least one-third of the goal. Officials said the nationwide system developed to handle donations for Give Local America! Tuesday collapsed under the weight of so much interest on the part of donors.