Feeling the Heat
Charitable giving: Needs up, donations down during summer for non-profits
by Pam Haynes, High Point Enterprise, July 9, 2010
HIGH POINT – The summer sun is bearing down especially hard on nonprofits that provide utility assistance to those in need.
While multiple heat waves already have swept through the Triad, the need to stay cool and crank up the air conditioning can be costly. In strained economic conditions, sometimes it can be too costly.
“Our biggest issue is people coming in due to increases in their electric bill,” said Anjani Webb, marketing coordinator for The Salvation Army of High Point. “That’s our greatest need right now.”
Webb said The Salvation Army paid out $3,357 in June to low-income families for utility assistance, up from $3,160 last year. From June to August last year, the organization dedicated $5,960 to utility assistance. While the Triad is expected to see some relief from the heat today, Webb said the heat waves the area already has experienced suggests that number may be higher this year.
Utility assistance also is a large demand for nonprofits like The Salvation Army and Open Door Ministries in High Point in the winter when temperatures drop. Balances left over from winter months can add more stress to the summer months, said Kimberly Murvin, an emergency assistance caseworker at Open Door Ministries.
“Some people are still trying to pay off their balance from the winter,” she said.
But donations are lower in the summer months than the winter months, creating a situation that can be hard to handle financially.
“Summer is the furthest time from the holidays, so our presence in the community isn’t as big,” Webb said. “Also, our main source of fundraising year-round is from our mail appeal. Our mail appeal response rate is much lower during the summer since many of our donors travel on vacation during these months.”