For the first time in its 33-year history, The Seattle Times Fund For The Needy has raised more than $1 million.

With a month remaining in the current campaign, donations to the fund totaled $1,008,617.74 as of Sunday morning.

Last year's total for the entire 11-week campaign was $926,069.

This marks the fourth straight year the fund has received a record amount in donations, even as the economy has struggled both locally and nationally.

"It's very gratifying," said Times Publisher Frank Blethen. "It's quite remarkable to me that what has always been a caring community is stepping up in such a big way."

Blethen said he views the results as an indication of readers' unfailing generosity, as well as their confidence in the newspaper's role in selecting effective charities, and in covering the fund's administrative costs so that 100 percent of the donations goes to the charities.

Contributions to the fund have come from more than 3,000 donors and have ranged from a $2 check to an anonymous donor's $75,000, received shortly after the campaign began Nov. 20.

The Times fund was created in 1979 to bolster the community safety net by helping some of the most vulnerable members of society. In its first campaign, it raised $107,994.

Since then, it has generated more than $15 million in donations.

The 13 agencies that benefit from the fund help children, families and senior citizens. Their services run the gamut, from food banks to emergency housing, to tutoring, mentoring, toys for children and meals delivered to homebound seniors.

Organizations aided by this year's campaign are The Salvation Army, Senior Services, Childhaven, Hopelink, Wellspring Family Services, Atlantic Street Center, Youth Eastside Services, Treehouse, Asian Counseling and Referral Service, Kindering Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, UW CARE Clinic and Kent Youth and Family Services.

Jack Broom: 206-464-2222 or jbroom@seattletimes.com