Vermont Giving Season gifts down

By Lynn Monty • Free Press Staff Writer • Monday, January 18, 2010

Need is up and donations are down for local charities. With Vermont still reeling from the economic downturn, regular donors like Caroline Crawford of Burlington are finding ways to continue to give. Crawford said she’s given to local and national organizations over the years, but in 2009, she tried to keep her giving local and did some improvising.

“It wasn’t difficult to give as much as I had in the past because I changed the way I give,” she said. Crawford gave a gift to the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf in lieu of spending money on Christmas gifts for her colleagues.

“I’ve tried to answer the call in other ways, like donating clothing and household items to organizations who are distributing them to those in need,” she said.

Also new this year, Crawford used Facebook to raise about $500 for the Vermont Food Bank for her birthday.

The Burlington Free Press’ 16th annual Giving Season highlighted the need of four local organizations, COTS, WARMTH, Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf and the Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation — and the response made clear how challenging the situation is. The campaign raised a total of $37,095 for the four organizations, about $24,000 less than last year’s total of $61,226.

Through the years, The Giving Season has raised $670,732 for local nonprofits, sometimes including as many as seven. This year, a core set of agencies were featured along with a guest charity that focused on continued support for Vermont troops recently deployed to Afghanistan.

The Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation received 70 Giving Season donations totaling $7,380. “We received three donations of $1,000 and the average donation was $105,” treasurer Richard Brehm said. “Contributions from the Giving Season will provide the foundation with the resources necessary to continue our mission to provide grants to deserving soldiers, airmen and their families. We will forever be grateful to Vermonters from across the state for their generous contributions.”

Carrie Harlow of Hinesburg said she recognizes that local charities are competing for limited funds during a time when need seems to be the greatest. She and her husband, Rocky, have donated to local charities in the past and in 2009 had to make the difficult choice to cut back.

“We are giving to fewer organizations and in smaller amounts,” Harlow said. “I guess you could say we’re having to be more choosy now, and we’re continuing to support, in a smaller way, those groups that have a personal connection to us. Ultimately, it’s our hope that when things get better financially, we can afford to be more generous again.”

About 1,000 more people this year have turned to the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf for help. Giving Season donations for the nonprofit came to $7,170, almost half of last year’s contribution of $13,903. “There is a very big need out there,” director Rob Meehan said. “As the need rises, donations are decreasing. It’s the perfect storm.” Donations are down 24 percent overall from last year, he said.

“We know that the economy plays a big roll in donations’ being down,” Meehan said. “So it means even more that so many people have reached out during the Giving Season in these hard times. We have a huge challenge ahead and many people to feed.”

A spike in fuel costs that had some families struggling last winter have them still paying off last year’s bills this winter. The Giving Season brought in $11,000 for the Champlain Valley Office of Economics WARMTH program which helps keep the heat on. This is a couple thousand dollars less than last season’s $13,050.

“I’m really not surprised,” Director Vicki Fletcher said. “Our case load continues to increase almost daily. I would imagine that potential donors are also feeling the economic pinch.”

The Committee on Temporary Shelter received a total of $11,545 from the Giving Season as compared with $17,868 received last year. “We are grateful to have the support of this caring and compassionate community,” director Kim Borsavage said. “The numbers of families and individuals turning to us for assistance have not abated. Donations received at this critical time of year ensure that we have the resources to help those in crisis — those who have no where else to turn.”