At age 13, Hannah Gray was in trouble and things seemed to be getting worse.

“I was spiraling out of control,” she said. She was hanging out with a bad group of friends, was drinking and repeatedly skipped school. She was put on two years of probation and sentenced to 50 hours of community service and a $1,500 fine on misdemeanor charges stemming from an incident involving destruction of property.

If she complied with the terms of her probation, her record would be cleared. Instead, she kept skipping school and was dropped from the school rolls several times.

Finally, her probation officer confronted her. 

“He finally got fed up with my actions,” she said. “All my behaviors really caught up with me. I thought he would give me a slap on the hand. But I’d done that too many times and he was fed up with me.”

She ended up back in court and was accepted by Sinopah House in Kalispell, a therapeutic group home for troubled girls that provides individual, group and family therapy. Her 10 months at Sinopah House got her back on track. 

“I’m thankful that I came to Sinopah House because it’s helped me a lot,” said Gray, who graduated from Sinopah House on Oct. 28 and returned home to Butte, where she will live with her grandmother.

Instead of the troubled girl who was dropped from school rolls, she was a straight-A student at Glacier High School who hopes to become a history teacher. In addition to excelling in school, Gray completed more than 200 hours of community service, volunteering at the Flathead Food Bank, the Northwest Montana Humane Society and Immanuel Lutheran Home.

“I’m just so happy that I came here instead of going to jail or something. I got so much out of this program,” she said.

Sinopah House is just one of the many agencies and services that benefit from the local United Way campaign. 

“Say Yes! Change Lives, Give Hope, Live United” is the theme of the 2014 United Way fund drive that benefits a variety of nonprofit agencies that help our neighbors throughout Northwest Montana.

The monetary goal is $700,000. The campaign continues through Dec. 31.

Donations to the annual fund drive benefit United Way member agencies and services in Flathead County, serving thousands of local individuals and families with a variety of needs. Last year, United Way member agencies helped 48,125 people in need. Ninety-nine percent of all money raised stays in local communities to help local citizens. 

Sinopah House, a program of Stillwater Therapeutic Services, provides a safe and structured home setting that meets individual treatment needs and promotes healing in a therapeutic environment. It serves emotionally disturbed adolescent girls, ages 11-17, who may be dealing with issues of abuse, neglect and family difficulties.

“I think this program can work for anyone who wants it,” said Gray, who just turned 15. “It’s such a great program. If you put the work into it, you can come out on top. You just feel awesome about yourself.”

Paula Buckley, program manager at Sinopah House, said Gray excelled in the program and has completed 100 percent of her treatment plan.

Donors may choose how to give to United Way, including cash, payroll deductions, charging to a credit card, direct billing or automatic bank transfers. Donors also may designate which member agencies, local affiliated partner agencies or the Montana Shares Federation they want to receive their gifts. 

For more information on the United Way campaign, call 752-7266. Donations may be mailed to P.O. Box 7217, Kalispell, MT 59904.

In addition to Sinopah House, current United Way member agencies are Big Brothers and Sisters, Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs of Glacier Country, CASA For Kids, Eagle Transit,  Flathead CARE, Flathead Food Bank, Flathead Youth Home, Girl Scouts, Head Start, Literacy Center of Northwest Montana, Mental Health Crisis Line, Nurturing Center, Retired & Senior Volunteer Program, Samaritan House, Special Friends Advocacy Program, Summit Independent Living Center and the Violence Free Crisis Line and Abbie Shelter.  

Services supported by the United Way include Disaster Care Services, Gateway Community Center, Leaders of Tomorrow, United Way 2-1-1 Montana Database Project, Senior Grocery Delivery Program, Teens in Crisis, AARP and VITA Tax Service, Best Beginnings Community Council, Good Grief Camp, the United Way Volunteer Center and Youth Suicide Prevention Project.

The United Way also supports the following emergency food and shelter programs in Northwest Montana: Bread Basket, Community Harvest Food Bank, Flathead Food Bank, Flathead Food Bank, Flathead Youth Home, Helping Hands, Hot Springs Food Pantry, Libby Food Pantry, Mission Valley Food Pantry, Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry, Salvation Army Meal Program, Samaritan House and Troy Food Pantry.

The United Way also provides community resources including the annual Answer Book, a counseling directory and a Volunteer Center.