Donations down overall this season (from the Bee)
Tough times for the holidays
Donations drying up just as need increases
By Dorothy Korber - dkorber@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PST Thursday, December 13, 2007
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A21
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From left, James Burkleo, Brenda Morales and Chad Miller of the Salvation Army await toy donations at Cal Expo in Sacramento on Wednesday. The barrels remain largely empty even though there's been a nearly 20 percent increase in Sacramento County families applying for Christmas help from the agency.
Randall Benton / rbenton@sacbee.com
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There's a grinch in town this year, emptying the Christmas stockings of poor children and taking the food off family tables. But the culprit isn't a green fellow whose heart is two sizes too small - Sacramento's villain has no heart at all.
It's the weak economy, Virginia, and it has the people who run holiday toy and food drives panicky as needs grow and donations dwindle.
The challenge of filling stockings for more than 15,000 children is keeping John Brackenberry up at night. The Salvation Army captain said his organization has seen nearly a 20 percent increase in the number of Sacramento County families applying for Christmas stockings this year.
"Basically, my philosophy is that every child deserves a new toy for Christmas," Brackenberry said. "These families humble themselves and come to us for assistance. We ask that the community pitch in for them. We do the same toy drives year after year - but compared to last year, toy donations are way down this December."
Cash contributions to the Army's red kettles are up slightly, though.
"I guess it's one thing to put a couple bucks in a kettle, but to pay $10 or $15 for a new toy is something else," he said. "The truth is, the economy is down and people are not spending as much on their own families, let alone strangers."
Brackenberry hesitates to be viewed as someone crying wolf, he said, but the specter of all those empty stockings has him worried.
"We try to provide a couple of toys, a stocking stuffer and stuffed animal for each child," he said. "We are strapped with: What do we do if we don't have enough? We have an obligation to these children."
The sad tidings are echoed at charities across the region.
Last year, the Santa Station at the Downtown Plaza was flooded by folks eager to "adopt" needy families through the U.S Postal Service program, said spokesman Ralph Petty. This year, the flood is down to a trickle.
He said the station has collected more than 1,000 letters to Santa from families - "and more letters are coming in every day."
The adoptions have been few so far, Petty said. "But there's still time. We're open till Dec. 23."
There are many more wishes than donors at the Sacramento Children's Home, where 56 children, ages 6 to 18, live as a respite from neglect or child abuse. The agency also helps low-income families meet basic needs.
"Our donations are down 85 percent from last year," said Michael Kressner, the home's communications officer. "In the past, the public has always pulled through, and we don't want to offend people. But we heavily rely on public support.
"We are feeling that whatever is going on out there is affecting people's ability to donate. We are nervous. We want to serve everybody."
It's a common refrain, said Steve Heath, president of United Way/California Capital Region.
"I'm hearing the same thing everywhere - it's a tough year for getting food and for getting toys," Heath said. "Part of it is the local economy. Anyone who works in the housing industry is struggling; I'm thinking about our friends in organized labor. Our labor arm reports that demand is up by about a third among union families' requests for Christmas baskets."
Even so, Heath said, workplace pledges to United Way are strong this year - perhaps a reflection of workers' awareness that not everyone is so well off.
Tight times also can impact the upper end of the nonprofit spectrum. In the Sacramento region, the deep pockets of some philanthropic developers are suddenly empty.
"Developers are going through very challenging times," said David Hosley, general manager of public television station KVIE. "Some that were very generous to us in the past can't be this year. This is what I said to one of them last week: 'Listen. We remember what you've done. We know where your heart is. And this year we understand that you can't do it.' "
Still, Hosley said, KVIE members are loyal, and the station's recent holiday membership drive met its budget.
"Our renewal rates are good, though the average gift is down a bit," he said. "We're grateful for that."
The safety net is stretched to the max at Sacramento's Loaves & Fishes, where donations are flat but the number of needy people is up substantially. More than 1,100 ate Thanksgiving dinner at the homeless shelter, an increase of 10 percent over 2006.
"We're figuring on 1,500 people here for Christmas," said spokeswoman Joan Burke. "Frankly, we are concerned about running short. As a program of last resort, it's very important not to turn anyone away."
The shelter hopes to give each person a Christmas stocking holding a warm hat, gloves and socks. "For many, it's the only gift they will receive," Burke said. "It's very, very important to them."
Burke may be concerned, but she does not despair. This is the time of year, after all, when hearts seem to grow to fit the need.
"We have something called the bank of faith," she said. "We rely on people choosing to help - and we have faith that they will."
Please remember folks, there are a lot of folks out there in pretty bad shape. If you can afford to help out, please do. If you were planning on something for any of the residents of Casa Satyr, please donate to one of our local charities instead.
Thank you.