In spite of the recession, Gainesville charities remain confident the upcoming fundraising season will be strong.
Local chapters of numerous national charities, including the United Way of North Central Florida and the Ronald McDonald House of Gainesville, have been finding new ways to remain active in the community, despite a decline in donations.
“Things are down, but not as much as the recession proves it should be,” said Deborah Horvath, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House. “We’re still paying our bills, so I think things will be okay.”
Nationally, charities have experienced steep declines. The Philanthropy 400 report released Monday shows donations to the nation’s 400 biggest charities have decreased by 11 percent in the past year, the worst decline in 20 years.
However, a few national charities continue to bring in large donations, including United Way and Habitat for Humanity.
The United Way of North Central Florida, based in Gainesville, brought in $8.5 million this past year through a combination of volunteer work, donations of food and books and federal programs and grants.
“For areas with sizes similar to ours, we’re second in the country,” said Mindy Underberger, vice-president for marketing and communications at the United Way.
The fundraising season begins with the onset of the holiday season. Local charities have begun looking at new outlets to spread the word about helping the community. The Salvation Army has signed an agreement to receive donations by text message, while the Ronald McDonald House of Gainesville recently created a Facebook page to promote upcoming events. According to Horvath, these actions alone do not necessarily lead to donations.
However, for United Way, this season already appears to be a good one.
“From all the early results we’re seeing right now, we see that the community is very supportive and generous in spite of the economic times,” Underberger said. “We will be able to continue our support to the community.”
