The economy in recession is strongly affecting cash and non-cash donations to non-profits, specifically the Food Bank in New York City, a non-profit that helps provide food for New Yorkers who may have trouble affording it. In December, the Food Bank had nearly a thirty percent increase in visitors while individual non-cash donations decreased by twenty-five percent. Cash donations as well are usually at their best in December, but not this year.
To make matters worse, surveys by the Food Bank show that one in ever two New Yorkers have trouble being able to afford basic foodstuffs, which is double the numbers shown on last years survey. The same surveys show that in a theoretical job loss, one in every four New Yorkers would need immediate assistance in groceries, while one in two would need help within three months.
The Food Bank has an annual budget of $61 million dollars (fiscal year ending in June 2009) and $45 million of that is simply the cost of transporting all the food to the 1,000 soup kitchens and food pantries they supply in New York. Some non-profits are trying to take up the slack left by individual donations, such as Robin Hood, a non-profit that has promised to match all individual donations two to one, up to $2 million dollars. But this makes only a dent in the $9 million still needed to make the budget.
Executives at the Food Bank show concern for those New Yorkers who don't even know about the Food Bank and the assistance they can provide. Every dollar donated to the Food Bank generates five meals for those who can't afford it. Don't let a little economic trouble get you down, don't be afraid to help out those who need it.
Information taken from: Adam Rose, “Recession Eats Into Food Bank Initiatives as Demand Grows”. The New York Observer, 19 December 2008 (www.observer.com) Lauren White