Charities in Distress: Those Who Help Others are In Need of Help

The recession has had a doubly bad impact on those in need. The housing crisis has produced new homeless families wholly unprepared for their new situation, while charitable organizations are seeing significant increases in demand for services and a reduction of donations. The Salvation Army is reported to have a 500% increase in demand, but a 6% decrease in donations. World Vision's individual cash donations dropped by $33 million this past year, though increased corporate donations and government grants, along with some belt tightening have kept them afloat. A Harris Interactive poll found that 38% of Americans are likely to give charitable gifts this holiday season, down 11% from last year.

If you are strapped for cash this year, consider making some no cost contributions, you could volunteer some of your time, visit the U.S. National Service web site, or find a local volunteer center in the directories at National Service Source or 1-800-volunteer provides a nationwide directory of volunteer centers. Another way to help out without straining your wallet is to give blood, the Red Cross experiences a drop in donations during the holiday season, (people seem to be otherwise occupied). Type O blood in particular is in short supply.

Here's Google's announcement of the charities they are donating $20 million to, on behalf of their customers.

Those who do have discretionary funds, but don't care to fund faceless corporate style charity clearing houses, can choose to donate to specific gifts or services through some programs. The American Red Cross has over a dozen gifting packages to choose from, some of the more tangible ones include a blanket for $18, a bicycle for a volunteer to use where cars can't go for $45, or one can purchase a complete Emergency Response vehicle for $90,000. The American Red Cross Holiday Catalog has packages for domestic disaster relief, military servicemen, and foreign Global Compassion assistance. You can also boost the moral of our servicemen oversees with a contribution to the U.S.O.

I like the specific accounting of just how your donation choice helps a community based project through Global Giving. There's quite a variety of human and environmental issues you can chose from, the tangible nature of the project descriptions might make them a good choice for a child's first contribution. A $10 donation can be assigned to buy chairs for a classroom, organic seeds, or a shovel used to replant trees. You can also help free women from Bonded Servitude, helping them on their way to independent living through micro-financing.