It is amazing what the Clallam County community can do. So many volunteers, so many very generous community members.

United Way is calling on those generous donors now.

The United Way campaign has reached $386,000 or 38.6 percent of the $1 million goal. More businesses and community members continue to turn in their campaign results daily and United Way expects this amount to increase significantly.

The campaign is tracking to match last year’s total donations, which fell about 10 percent short of the goal. This year United Way is reaching out, asking community members to give a small amount to strengthen local communities. If everyone gave just $10, it would exceed its goal.

United Way invests community donations throughout the year in 23 partner agencies delivering services in the areas of education, income and health, and in United Way’s four Community Solutions initiatives: the 2-1-1 Help Line, Access to Health Care Coalition, the Clallam County Literacy Council and Great Beginnings, United Way’s newest featured work focused on early learning.

Great Beginnings helps parents and others become the best first teachers of children so that all Clallam County children get a Great Beginning. When children start school ready to learn, they are more successful in school and life.

When the community invests in one child it strengthens the family, eventually a single investment leads to a more thriving community. Many community members also volunteer with these agencies and initiatives, and additional volunteers always are welcome.

United Way year-end giving helps families know that they have made a difference here at home. Parents also can encourage children to make decisions about charitable giving and volunteering, which raises children to embrace this kind of community involvement.

The United Way office at 102½ E First St, Port Angeles, will be open Dec. 29-31 for year-end donations.

Contributions also can be mailed to PO Box 937, Port Angeles, WA 98362.

To give by credit card, visit www.unitedwayclallam.org/give, or call 457-3011.

The fundraising campaign ends March 31, 2015.

Required to take an IRA distribution? Why not donate instead?

IRA owners who are 70½ years old and are required to take an IRA distribution again have another option.

Since 2006, the federal government has permitted IRA owners to roll over required distributions up to $100,000 from their IRA to a charity without paying any federal taxes. This option has been temporarily unavailable this past year but has again been renewed by legislators in tax legislation approved on Dec. 16 for 2014. This means that if you already made a transfer from your IRA to a charity or do so prior to the end of December, you can avoid the additional tax burden of the distribution.

United Way of Clallam County is one organization to consider for this charitable giving – United Way has a permanent endowment fund through the Clallam Community Foundation providing a way to leave a lasting legacy that positively impacts education, income and health needs in your community every year. This is a continuous investment in strengthening the entire community.

For more information on making a lifetime or legacy gift or for other local giving options, contact United Way of Clallam County at 457-3011 or your financial advisor. For help with a transfer of assets, contact your IRA custodian.

Rules for a charitable IRA Rollover

• You must be least 70½ years old.

• The gift must be from a traditional or Roth IRA (no 401(k)s, 403(b)s, etc.).

• The gift must be made to a public charity.

• The gift must not be to a donor advised fund maintained by the charity.

• The gift must be outright and not to a gift annuity or charitable remainder trust (i.e. no life income arrangements).

• The gift, combined with other qualifying IRA charitable rollover gifts made during the year, must not exceed $100,000.