Charitable giving is still lagging in Lowndes County following the recession, but United Way expects it to pick up again next year.
“I think that this coming season will be better for (Lowndes County) because of the rebounding economy,” Patricia Brock, the executive director of United Way of Lowndes County, said.
Americans gave around $358 billion to charities in 2014, surpassing pre-recession levels for the first time since 2007, according to the Associated Press. While United Way has not seen that kind of increase in Columbus and Lowndes County yet, Brock is hopeful the next few years will see the community following in the rest of the country’s footsteps.
For one thing, Brock said, individual giving increased in 2014 from previous years, though corporate giving still lagged behind. This is likely due to the fact that individuals are more likely to rebound from the economy more quickly than corporations, said Brock.
She also speculates that in Lowndes County, churches are already starting to get more monetary donations. Though charitable giving to churches and religious causes has been on the decline throughout the country in recent years, Brock is willing to bet that is not the case in the South. She thinks donations to churches will increase first, and donations to local non-profits will follow.
‘Dedicated volunteers in Columbus’
The American Red Cross has seen an increase in both donations and volunteering, said Patty Tucker, the executive director of the North Mississippi Chapter of the Red Cross.
Tucker says the increase is due to the recent disasters in Texas and heavy rainfall in the local area. The Red Cross in Columbus recently aided several families whose apartments flooded during the rainy weather.
“We have some very dedicated volunteers there in the Columbus area,” she said.
Helping Hands, however, has not seen the same increase, particularly when it comes to monetary donations, according to executive director Nancy Guerry. She blames the recession for the downturn but said as people get back on their feet they will likely give more.
“I just haven’t see it yet, but we won’t give up hope,” she said.
People are also spending more time volunteering, according to Brock. Volunteer Columbus, United Way’s Volunteer Center, works with close to 100 non-profits in the area and has seen an increase both in the number of volunteers and the hours they work.
Brock believes this is due to the overall negative mood in the country. When something bad happens, such as the recent shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, people want to change things by doing something good, even if that good thing is just for their local community.
“When the nation’s feeling or mood is bleak … (people are) willing to step up and do something about it,” she said.
People are also more aware of volunteering opportunities than they have been in the past, Brock added.
Under new volunteer director, Renee Sanders, United Way and Volunteer Columbus hope in particular to reach out to young people, Brock said. If teens and young adults spend their time volunteering, they are more likely to have a lifelong habit of helping in the community.
During United Way’s 2014 Campaign, individuals contributed nearly $19,000, and employees from local businesses contributed $336,700. United Way also estimated that the value of the over 8,000 volunteer hours worked was equal to $159,600.
The 2016 United Way Campaign, a campaign of events to encourage donations from businesses and individuals, will kick off Oct. 1 and continue until Thanksgiving.
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