The Give Local Flathead fundraising campaign for 70 area nonprofits has been extended through May 10 due to technical problems with the national Give Local America website that shut out Flathead area donors.

The national website glitch affected 50 communities nationwide, including the Flathead Valley and several other larger Montana cities, according to Northwest Montana United Way Director Sherry Stevens.

Stevens said organizers began realizing there was a problem by midmorning on Tuesday because the running total of donations wasn’t increasing.

“We know there were people trying to make donations, but couldn’t,” she said. “Some were able to make early donations.”

That prompted two conference calls with state officials, but the problem still was unresolved at the national level.

Give Local Flathead is part of a statewide effort, MTGives Day. The state effort dovetailed with Give Local America, a national initiative.

The annual one-day online crowd-funding event is a crucial fundraiser for many local nonprofits, Stevens said, so it behooved local organizers to regroup and extend the campaign.

An alternative local website has been set up at www.unitedwaycares.org, where donors can make online credit-card donations; go to the Give Local logo and click on the red donate button.

Donations by credit card also may be called in to 253-0911 or 471-4902, or donors may mail checks to Give Local Flathead at P.O. Box 8045, Kalispell, MT 59904. All donations are confidential, Stevens said.

Cash, checks and credit-card donations also may be brought to the Gateway Community Center at 1203 U.S. 2 W. in Kalispell. An information and donation booth is located in the center of the facility past the food court. Donors may enter through building entrances B and C.

Northwest Montana United Way is the fiscal agent for the event and will distribute the money raised to the various designated nonprofits.

Last year the inaugural 24-hour blitz raise more than $70,000 for local nonprofit organizations. The goal this year is to raise $1 million statewide.