Charitable here are still giving

In the wake of all the natural disasters and requests for assistance this year, a new term has been coined: Donor fatigue.

Although many national non-profit organizations have expressed concern that the recent and numerous disasters night affect their donations, Kilgore charities are optimistic.

Carol Hinton, chairman of the Kilgore United Fund, said this year’s campaign is ahead of last year’s at this time.

“We’re up to 90 percent” of the United Fund goal, she said. “We’ve extended the campaign through Thanksgiving and think we’ll reach our goal of $65,000.”

KTPB Executive Director Kathy Housby is also optimistic about the public radio station’s fall fund drive.

“We’re only in the second day of the drive but it seems like we’re doing pretty good,” she said.

The station’s goal for this drive is $40,000. However, Housby hopes the fall and spring drives will net a total of $80,000.

Local businesses and other underwriters account for another $20,000, bringing KTPB’s total to $100,000.

“We have been a little concerned because of the demands the disaster put on local residents,” Housby said “But so far our residents are calling in and being fairly generous.”

Housby said she has had discussions with representatives from other nonprofit organizations who said they “struggled right after Katrina and Rita.”

Robin Hopkins, director of Helping Hands, reports donations are down a little.

“Not because of the disasters, but because of the increase in the price of gas and food,” she said. “People are tightening their purse strings.”

Hopkins said it’s harder to get inventory from the regional food bank than it is to get local donations.

“The food bank doesn’t give pantries as much as they do onsite facilities or evacuation centers,” she said. “But the Boy Scouts and Patterson Chevrolet are holding food drives in November for us.”

Hopkins said the number of people requesting assistance is up this year.

“We’ve (served) about 50 more families on a monthly basis than last year,” she said. “In August we handled 100 families.”

Hopkins said 2005 has been a “tough year” for Helping Hands.

Requests to Gregg County for financial assistance from nonprofit groups amounted to almost $1 million this year.

The county funded 33 organizations to the tune of $519,4000.

“This is part of our annual budget,” said County Judge Bill Stoudt. “This is part of the way we help the community.”

The Rev. Robert Besser said he hasn’t noticed a downward trend in donations this year.

“I haven’t observed that,” he said.

Randy Renshaw, treasurer of the Lion Club, agreed.

“People can only give so much,” he said, “and they will help the local groups before others.”

Renshaw said the club’s recent Halloween Carnival is “one of our most successful, if not most successful, events we’ve had.”

Renshaw said Kilgore residents are “generous with their contributions.”

The national pictures looks different.

Deborah Neuman of the CARE organization said those responding to national disasters are being stretched very thin.

“Donation fatigue is a key factor to us and other non-profit organization like us,” she said.

Sandra Miniutti of the national charity evaluator Charity Navigator, said charitable giving levels don’t vary very much in the U.S. year to year, but the charities receiving the donations can vary significantly.

“Americans have already donated $4 billion for disaster relief this year,” she said. “Other non-profit groups are preparing themselves for a decline in giving.”

Research conducted by the center on Philanthropy at Indiana University by the Giving USA Foundation reveals the nation’s generosity increases after disasters and overall charity is on solid footing.

The report indicates that nearly $3 billion was given in response to the 9/11 attacks. In 2004, a record $248.5 billion was donated to the country’s nonprofit organizations.

Bob Ottenhoff, president of GuideStar.org, a database of financial and program information connected to the 1.5 million non-profit organizations in the county, said people will respond to the disasters as well as maintain donations to their local charities.

“People not only responded generously (after 9-11 and the tsunami) to the requests for those two causes, but they continued to give to their traditional causes,” he said.

However, Ottenhott said long-term needs such as rebuilding New Orleans may be cause for worry.

“Americans like to contribute, to do something immediately... but it tends to be short-term in nature,” he said. “Long-term rebuilding of a community is not always as attractive.