'Donor fatigue' a new impact from storms (Houston Salv Army $ down 4%)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3494932.html

Officials of the Houston Salvation Army are leaving no bell unrung in fighting "donor fatigue" that already challenges the $2.3 million fundraising goal for the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas programs.

Maj. John R. Jones, Houston Metropolitan commander, said the charity has already noticed a 10 percent, or $30,000, drop in contributions compared with the same time last year.

"If funds continue to decrease at this rate, it will result in a loss of $200,000," Jones said. "As history has shown, there is naturally donor fatigue after a disaster."

<snip>

The Salvation Army's major decline in fundraising has been in direct-mail solicitations that support programs and services for about 40,000 individuals, Chambless said. This year, about 2,000 to 3,000 hurricane survivors will need help from the agency, Chambless said.

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Not just how much we donate is a problem (in terms of fatigue), but also how much we have, with outsourcing, Walmartization of communities, budget cuts to fuel the wealthy's tax cuts, etc.

right now.

I have been thinking about posting about this. I work for a small nonprofit in my community and we bust our asses every day to feed thousands of people. Our donations are down significantly because of so-called 'donor fatigue'.

I understand people's desire to help out folks who are suffering in the South, or in Pakistan, or elsewhere. I just ask that people remember their local orgs who function on small budgets and who help your neighbors. Every day.

And if you want to help the hurricane victims, I highly recommend donating to the local/county food banks and shelters in the affected areas, rather than the big national organizations with big bureaucracies.

Okay, I said my bit. I feel better now :)

Don't wait for a disaster or the holidays. People always need your help; just because it's not BREAKING NEWS doesn't mean they don't need your time and money.

when we were flooded out-they were there to support us. I always give to them over Red Cross. They truly take care of the least of us. Seriously, they help those homeless with addictions-who else has a mission like that. Here in Houston, they were the first to have a homless shelter for families.....Thanks for the reminder to send some bucks their way...

Tried to donate my couch and chair to them. Had to put them back into my garage when SA came by and turned them down to wait for Goodwill to take them later. While I kept my car in the driveway instead of the garage, it was stolen one night. Had they taken what I'd offered, I'd still have my old car now. Goodwill wasn't "picky" and took them the following week after the damage was done.

really isn't set up to take goods, whereas is is part of Goodwill's mission. SA uses food donations and they use cash (they have a very low admin expense cost so most of your money goes to those who will need it). Sorry about your car but to hold a grudge against SA doesn't make sense-they didn't steal your car or cause it to be stolen (and I know that won't bring it back or make you feel better). FYI, you can always put the furniture to the curb and unless it is really ratty---some one will pick it up. I know lots of people that dumpster dive.

If I'd known that they were predisposed not to take it, I would have gone to Goodwill first and not have wasted my time with them, and not had this problem. My interpretation was that they DO take these kind of donations, but somehow felt my stuff wasn't good enough for them. I was conscious of trying to keep the elements from affecting this furniture, and had only put them out on the driveway when they were supposed to be picked up. Evidently Goodwill felt it was good enough quality to take. Why wouldn't Salvation Army? Therefore, if they don't feel they want my charity, and make it difficult to give to them, I'll give to someone else that appears to be more willing to accept my gifts, and not waste my time with them.

No, they weren't directly responsible for my car being stolen, but it was actions of theirs that lead to this happening.

THERE'S NO FUCKING MONEY TO GIVE

When it's a choice between eating, heating the house, paying the bills, or "giving generously to der God loving charitable organizations", which do you think is going to take the hit?

Which would remove a lot of deductions that people have now, which I believe include those for charitable contributions (someone correct me if I'm wrong here). Perhaps some people are concerned that they won't get a tax write-off by donating. That's also a big disincentive for donating stuff too, though arguably, perhaps people might want to donate a lot now to get in their tax deduction this year before this might take effect next year, so perhaps it should have the opposite effect than what I'm stating here.