October 8, 2009
Do your part when times are tough
Times are tough and although there are signs of hope that glimmer on the horizon, it will likely be a long, cold winter ahead before we see the spring.
Most of us have taken hits in the past year as we have dealt with trying to make our personal budgets balance just as those in the business community have attempted to keep their bottom lines out of the red. With unemployment rates hitting 20-year highs and those with jobs seeing cutbacks and freezes, area nonprofit agencies are also feeling the pinch. Donations, grants and other revenue sources have slowed down and needs go up.
Need doesn’t go away because of a poor economy and neither should a poor economy be an excuse to not support the charitable civic and religious organizations within our communities.
One such organization, the Taylor County United Way recently kicked off its 2009 fundraising drive. United Way provides funding to multiple area organizations which serve a diverse cross-section of those in our communities.
Unlike other fundraising drives which rely heavily on the generosity of a relatively few larger donors, the unique strength of the United Way is that it is a way for every individual to make a significant impact through smaller donations. The deduction of a dollar or two each week from a payroll check is less than the cost of a cup of coffee or donut but combined across an entire community over the course of a year it adds up. The payroll deduction options many businesses have make donating to United Way painless and simple. Ask the person who handles human resources at your workplace for information about how to support United Way.
For those who cannot afford to make a monetary donation, there are still ways to pitch in and help the community. Charitable organizations such as churches or even governmental agencies such as the schools are often in need of volunteer labor. Whether it is another set of hands to pitch in and pick up litter along the highway or someone to listen to a child read or cut carrots in preparation for a community dinner, the needs of the community are many and diverse.
As the saying goes from those to whom much is given, much is asked. Let us not use current economic woes as an excuse to turn our backs on the needs of our neighbors and our community. While it may be necessary to be more selective in making donations of time or money, the important thing is to pitch in and for each person to take his or her share of the load.
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