After 50 years of community involvement and service, the Altona, Gretna and District United Way will be ending its annual campaigns permanently at the conclusion of its fiscal year effective August 31.

The group has decided to terminate its service due to its struggle to meet conditions implemented by the National United Way of Canada, according to Lyle Dunsmore, a spokesperson for the organization.

"Things were not going the way we wanted to see them go, and we were having conditions put on us that we didn't think were fair. So I guess the long and short of it is that we were almost kind of put out of business," said Dunsmore, emphasizing that community support was not an issue.

He said though people have continued to donate to campaigns, the local United Way will no longer accept donations after the end of August. Instead, Dunsmore encourages the community to donate directly to organizations.

"If you were donating to our cause, please, please continue to donate to the causes locally that you were donating to because it's a hole in their budget next year that they won't have the money that comes in this way. If people make a point of giving to the organizations we supported before that will help take some of the sting away," he said.

As for the 2017 campaign, Dunsmore said he expects totals to reach between $60,000 and $70,000, which is their goal. All funds will be distributed with the windup of the group's fiscal year. The Altona, Gretna and District United Way donated $60,000 to 17 different groups in 2016.