Charities feel strain

November 16, 2008 11:58 pm

— By Roger McKinney
rmckinney@joplinglobe.com
Natalie Bailey on Wednesday witnessed firsthand how the tanking economy is affecting charities.
Bailey, 38, of Joplin, works and is a full-time student at Crowder College in Neosho, but that’s not enough.
“I’m still falling short, with the economy being like it is,” Bailey said.
Wednesday found her at Crosslines Churches of Joplin, where she was seeking jeans for her 10-year-old son and help with food. She was among many others with similar needs.
“I couldn’t believe the parking lot was so full and how many people were needing help,” Bailey said. “They were parking out in the road even. ... There were probably over 100 people looking for items.”
She said it could be tough for charities to make ends meet “if we don’t get together as a community.”
‘Challenging’
Kathy Lewis, director of Joplin Crosslines, reinforced Bailey’s opinion.
“It’s challenging, to say the least,” Lewis said. She said the number of families the charity serves has increased from around 400 per month last year to around 500 per month this year.
“I think the people here in Joplin are very giving,” Lewis said. “I think we’ll struggle for a while. We may not be able to keep up with the need.”
Other area charities also report increased need for their services as contributions fall.
The United Way of Crawford County, Kan., last week reported that it fell short of its campaign goal of $254,000, with pledges totaling $230,503. Mike Woods, campaign co-chairman, said in a news release that the goal was set before the financial meltdown and before area businesses announced they would close. Superior Industries announced it would close its Pittsburg plant next month, resulting in the loss of 600 jobs.
Woods said in the release that the campaign was disappointed about falling short of the goal, “but we’re also proud of the tremendous effort and results shown by the campaign in the face of such difficult and trying economic times.”
‘Nightmare’
Salvation Army bell-ringers began the charity’s annual fund-raising effort in Joplin on Friday.
“The need is greater,” said Salvation Army Capt. Jason Poff. “The nightmare scenario is we can’t meet the rising need.”
Poff said he is “hesitantly optimistic” that people will respond with donations.
“When they see the need, people respond,” Poff said. “Are we concerned about it? Certainly we are, but we have a lot of faith in the generosity of the community.”
The Joplin chapter of the American Red Cross recently conducted a “boot block” downtown in which it collected $2,400. Executive Officer Carla Graham said the checks from regular donors are smaller and less frequent, but those people continue to give.
“We always need our donors,” Graham said. “We couldn’t survive without them.”
Neosho Crosslines Ministries provides clothes and toiletries to people in need, and also operates a homeless shelter. Director Shari Janss said the shelter has added more beds to accommodate an increased demand. She said the shelter houses 15 to 20 people per month.
Another charity, the Help Center, operates a food pantry in Neosho, Janss said.
She said that so far, donations are keeping pace with the increased need.
“For some reason, the more people we get in, the more donations we get,” Janss said.
Up 50 percent
Capt. Richard McDonald with the Carthage Salvation Army said the number of meals served in the soup kitchen has increased by 50 percent since last year. The charity has 30 percent more applications this year for Thanksgiving assistance.
“The fact is we’re seeing new people,” McDonald said.
He said most of the Salvation Army’s donations come in during the Christmas season, and those donations must last the entire year.
“We’re anticipating being down,” he said.
The Salvation Army in Miami, Okla., also is experiencing increased demand, said treasurer Pauline Klinefelter.
“There are many more people coming for help at our food pantry and service center,” Klinefelter said. “The number has gone up, maybe doubled in the past few months. There’s an increase in people needing help with food and clothing and utilities.”
She said the Christmas Kettle campaign will begin around Thanksgiving in Miami.
“In the past, people have responded to that,” Klinefelter said. “We’re hoping that they will this year, too.”
Ellie Foster, pastor and executive director of Wesley House in Pittsburg, Kan., said it has experienced a 12 percent increase in requests for assistance, representing 47 new families. The Methodist outreach is the main food pantry in Crawford County.
She said that during the summer, the shelves that normally were full were nearly bare. She said the situation has improved. She said some people arrive with sacks of groceries to donate.
“I keep wondering how long that’s going to last,” Foster said. “One of the things I’ve seen in recent months is that many of the people asking for help have in the past brought us items.”


History of giving

A September study by the Giving USA Foundation found that when the economy slows down, giving to charities may grow more slowly, but it continues to grow. The study looked at periods of economic stress since 1969.

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