The
headlines have made it official: we’re in a recession.
In
truth, this was no revelation. The economists’
facts and figures only confirmed what most of us have been feeling for some
time now – painfully pinched. Like many
of you, I’m making instead of buying my morning coffee, pushing my running
shoes to go those few extra miles, and setting up carpools instead of driving
solo.
But
nowhere are the tight times more evident than in what I see every day in my job
at I Live Here, I Give Here, the Central Texas campaign for philanthropy.
Our
neighbors who previously leaned on local nonprofits for support are now subsisting
on those services. More dramatically, families
who were once donors are now clients. The
demands on our nonprofits are urgent, and they need your support.
You
are at this site, reading this blog, because you are a volunteer – thank you! The time you give makes you a vital and
valued contributor to your community.
But remember, there are some things that time can’t buy, and those
things are critical to an organization as it works to fulfill its mission, and
as it struggles to survive.
This
holiday season as you volunteer, consider doubling the impact of your gift by
pairing it with a financial contribution.
Take my coffee fund, for example.
Three months ago, a co-worker inspired me to see what I could do with my
latte-a-day savings. So, every morning as
my Mr. Coffee churns out my wake-up brew, I add to a collection can on my
kitchen counter what I would have spent on Starbuck’s. On the first of this month, the day the recession
was officially announced, I called my local children’s shelter and with those savings
I bought six children a visit to the doctor.
I
have seen the difference a dollar can make, and the great news is, I’m not
alone. The Associated Press reports philanthropic
giving is withstanding the tough economic times. Employees nationwide are choosing to donate in
lieu of a holiday party, and seven in ten adults say this year they plan to
spend less on holiday gifts and more on charitable contributions.
We invite you to join us.
Find out more about the needs in your community, and discover how a little bit
really does go a long way. What small portion of your budget could you redirect
to help others? Cocktail fund? Manicure? Hold the fries and hold onto that extra
dollar? It's amazing what these small sacrifices can mean to others, when you put that money in the hands of a charity.
Keya Jayaram
Program Staff
I Live Here, I Give Here
Austin, TX
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Wherever
you are, we invite you to learn about our guest blogger's organization, I Live Here, I Give Here and see how it can inspire you to increase the power of your
volunteering with a financial push too.
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