NATCHEZ &8212; The United Way of the Greater Miss-Lou, now mid-campaign, has reached about half of their fundraising goal of $300,000, Campaign Chair Maria Bowser said Friday.

The donation season kicked off with a jambalaya cook-off in August. The money goes to 21 Miss-Lou partnership agencies.

Most of the companies that have donation programs encouraging employees to pledge donations to the United Way have finished their campaigns.

Company employees can pledge to give a certain amount, and often the company will match that pledge, she said.

The &8220;business blitz,&8221; a concentrated effort in just one October day, brought in more than $5,500, almost double the result of past blitz efforts, Bowser said.

Britton & Koontz Bank has already met its goal of $15,000, Bowser said.

Bank Senior Vice President Rosemary Hall said every year, the bank holds a breakfast where a speaker from an agency or the United Way talks about the benefits of giving and what it means to the community.

&8220;Then we hand out pledge cards to start the drive,&8221; Hall said. &8220;I think (people give) because they realize the donations help the community in a variety of ways.&8221;

Another big donor, Natchez Community Hospital, exceeded its goal of $14,000.

&8220;Community Hospital was amazing,&8221; Bowser said. &8220;They were the first major company to finish their campaign.&8221;

Tim Trottier, CEO of Natchez Community Hospital, said the chief nursing officer was on the United Way board and was enthusiastic about finding donations.

&8220;She really wanted to do a lot this year, and that set the tone for our entire facility to get behind it,&8221; Trottier said.

Giving to the United Way provides a way for employees to give on a personal level, he said.

&8220;There are a lot of worthy agencies, and I think the credibility the United Way brings to the table gives folks a lot of confidence,&8221; he said.

Bowser said she hoped the organization would reach its goal by early December.

&8220;The bottom line is that fundraising is a year-round process, and we will certainly accept a donation anytime someone wants to make one,&8221; she said.

It&8217;s not too late to make a donation or volunteer, local United Way Executive Director Kathy Stephens said. The organization accepts both any time.

&8220;United Way volunteers go everywhere, and so does United Way money,&8221; Stephens said.

Donors can designate donations to any nonprofit organization through United Way, and companies can take tours of agencies to see where their money goes.

&8220;It all stays right here in our community helping those people who are in need,&8221; Stephens said.

For information on donating or volunteering, contact the United Way of the Greater Miss-Lou at 601-442-1081.