Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Charitable groups feeling the pinch

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 12:55:02 -0500

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,450021594,00.html?

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 

Thursday, December 19, 2002

Charitable groups feeling the pinch

While need is up, corporate giving has declined

By Dave Anderton
Deseret News business writer

A direct line to the North Pole proved a holiday delight for some of Utah's neediest children.

With the help of Nextel employees Rusty Boshard, far left, and Kirk Gammon, Hugo uses a cell phone to talk to Santa at the Boys and Girls Club in Provo Wednesday.

Jason Olson, Deseret News

On Wednesday, 100 youngsters living in the Salt Lake and Provo areas revealed their Christmas secrets by cell phone, thanks to Nextel Communications, which provided a magical connection to Santa and Mrs. Claus, played by volunteers at the Coventry Retirement Community in Cottonwood Heights.

Most of the children at Wednesday's gathering know need firsthand, as low incomes force parents to make a choice of whether to buy food or purchase gifts, said Dianne Davenport, after-school coordinator for the Boys & Girls Club of Utah County.

"One family I know, in particular — it was buy tires for the car or do Christmas," Davenport said.

And with corporate giving plunging nearly 15 percent nationally — from $10.6 billion in 2000 to $9.1 billion last year, according to Giving USA — charitable organizations and the people they serve appear to be feeling the pinch this holiday season.

"Need is way up, but the giving is way down," said Kathy Scott, spokeswoman for the Salvation Army of West Valley City, which provides for needy children and senior citizens. "We usually have quite a few toys that we can take last-minute to people. We don't have very many this year."

That's in contrast to only a few years ago, when the go-go 1990s translated into double-digit gains in annual corporate giving.

In spite of the recession-riddled year, Carolyn Buck, a spokeswoman for the United Way of Davis County, said the organization has seen a surge in individuals giving to Sub for Santa programs and the food bank.

"All of the Sub for Santa programs have received an outpouring of generosity from the community, more than last year," Buck said. "The food bank in Davis County was completely empty in October, and the Boy Scouts did a massive food drive and our personal food bank now is stocked through the winter."

However, this year's corporate giving appears mixed.

"We are seeing some corporate gifts going down, and then some have gone up," Buck said. "I think, though, to be honest with you, when we close out the campaign we are certainly not going to reach our goal this year. . . . It is just a tough year, and people are kind of turning inward, holding on to their money."

Fortunately, for the boys and girls making their wishes by phone Wednesday, the holidays will be a little brighter.

"The kids basically have a Christmas wish and a Christmas need that they ask for," said Kris Severson, a spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake. "These guys at Nextel have been nice enough to take that list, go out and shop for it, and then we usually distribute it to the parents so they can have it under the tree at their own home and the kids don't need to know that the parents couldn't afford to buy this stuff."

E-mail: [email-masked]

World & Nation + Utah + Sports + Business + Opinion + Front Page

© 2002 Deseret News Publishing Company