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January 10, 2003/Shevat 7 5763, Vol. 55, No. 20
Charities tally giving
Some nonprofits report possible program cuts
BARRY COHEN
Editor
As they compute the results of year-end charitable giving, Valley nonprofits report a mix of disappointment and success.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, Jewish Family and Children's Service and the St. Vincent de Paul Society, among others, failed to meet fund-raising goals. Meanwhile, the Council for Jews with Special Needs and Valley of the Sun United Way achieved theirs.
"For the first year, the thrift shop has run a deficit," said Gail Parin, president and CEO of Jewish Family and Children's Service.
Because people are not buying new clothing or furniture, "they are not parting with the old," she explained. Contributions to the store were down 37 percent.
JFCS also failed to meet its financial fund-raising goals, despite increased giving through Arizona's program of tax credit for the working poor, said Parin.
The shortfall puts programs at risk, including a bereavement program that offers weekly two-three hour support group sessions with a master-level therapist for 20-25 participants. Although "it helps transform people's lives," JFCS may have to curtail or eliminate the program, she said.
To meet fund-raising goals, JFCS - which has an $18 million budget - plans to offer information sessions at local synagogues and Jewish community centers to educate people about JFCS needs and services.
"The goal is to get people engaged in JFCS," said Parin. "This will take time. It is not an immediate fix."
The Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix as well is facing financial pressures. While its annual campaign effort raised $5.13 million in 2001, "I do not think we will raise that much in 2002," said Vicki Cabot, president of the board of directors. Officials expect to have a final tally by mid-January.
Cabot said contributions to federation need to be placed in context. Last year, in addition to contributing to the federation annual campaign, the community opened the doors to its fully funded $35 million Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus in Scottsdale and raised $1.2 million for the Israel Now campaign to bolster Israeli domestic security.
At the same time, local needs within the Jewish community increased, due in part to higher unemployment and greater economic pressures on the working poor, she explained.
Cabot said federation officials are hoping to broaden the number of contributors to the annual campaign, which provides partial funding for 11 local Jewish agencies and 21 national and international agencies.
"I hope the community can find better ways to communicate our responsibility to one another ... and help those who are hurting," she said.
For the local St. Vincent de Paul Society, financial contributions have been adversely affected by the struggling economy, said Steve Zabilski, local executive director. Businesses had less discretionary income to contribute, and the stock market downturn left foundations with less money to allocate, he explained.
However, contributions of $100 or less remained constant, and donations to the food reclamation center, which provides hundreds of thousands of food boxes, increased from 6.5 million pounds in 2001 to 7 million pounds in 2002.
"These (contributors) realize ... it's harder to be a single mother or to have a child struggle with a disability," than to allow their own financial constraints stop them from continued giving, he noted.
St. Vincent de Paul is wrestling with the fact that at the same time more people are seeking services, the fund raising that provides for their needs is down.
The number of calls at the main center for general assistance has increased from a few hundred a week to more than 1,000, said Zabilski.
In addition, the Society provided almost 1.2 million dining room meals in 2002, an 11 percent increase from more than 1 million meals in 2001.
"We have a new class of working poor" seeking services, he noted. They are struggling not with alcohol or drug addiction, and they are not refusing to work; rather, they are attempting to balance two jobs to pay rent, utilities and put food on the table, he explained.
To provide needed services, the Society, with a budget of $25 million, very little of which is from governmental sources, has cut expenses and implemented a hiring freeze, said Zabilski. In addition, counselors are directing people in need to government programs that provide medical services and aid for the homeless.
While JFCS, federation, and St. Vincent de Paul struggle to do more with less, other Valley nonprofits are closer to matching needs and resources.
Fund raising at the Council for Jews with Special Needs in 2002 barely achieved expectations, noted Executive Director Becca Hornstein. Although the agency received fewer $5,000 and $10,000 contribution checks, the $227,000 CJSN raised fell short by only $5,000 from the previous year, she said.
"Unless something radical happens, we will be able to provide 100 percent of services for the coming year," said Hornstein. "This shows whether it is a good financial year or a bad year, (the community) knows that people with disabilities still need help."
Like CJSN, the Valley of the Sun United Way met its fund-raising goal. In the final weeks of the United Way's giving cycle, which ended in November, a number of major corporations made substantial contributions to meet the $49 million goal, said Andrew Ostrander, local United Way public relations director.
Those groups included APS/Pinnacle West, the Arizona Republic, Cox Communications, The Dial Corporation, America West Airlines, the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks.
"We're very proud that with the economy struggling, we were able to meet our goal," he said.
Explaining United Way's success, Ostrander pointed to the organization's "name recognition" and its "commitment to making a difference in the community."
Despite the lagging economy, "there is still tremendous giving in the community. ... We see needs and want to address them," he noted.
Contact the writer at barry_cohen@jewishaz.com.
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