Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 December 2005 — Page 2

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2005

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Speaker Series (Left to right) Jose Lucende, his wife Gertrude and William G. Mays of Mays Chemical Company discuss Michael Eric Dyson's speech during a recent Stewart & Associates Speaker Series. Dyson's latest book is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind? is a response to Cosby's remarks at the annual NAACP Convention last year. (Photo/G. Scott)

DONOR ► Continued from Page 1 closer to home. “I can’t figure out if people are tired or if there is just a lot of need,” says Pam Altmeyer, president/CEO of Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. “Yes, we need more food than we have. Yes, we need more volunteers than we have. Yes, more money would be a real blessing, but I have to have faith that the work the community helps us do is still important.” In the latest Philanthropic Giving Index (PGI) recently released by the Center of Philanthropy at Indiana University (CPIU), differences were found between what fundraisers said they were experiencing and how they perceived nonprofits in general were managing. Only 32.7 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that hurricane relief giving came at the expense of giving to their own organizations; slightly more (36.5 percent) disagreed or strongly disagreed and 30.8 percent were neutral. “It is certainly possible that any effects may be felt unevenly across the nonprofit sector, with some organizations being more directly affected,” said Patrick Rooney, the center’s director of research. “There may also be an element of self-fulfilling prophecy. Based on anecdotal reports and widespread speculation about ‘donor fatigue,’ some fund-raisers may assume that other nonprofits are feeling the impact of donors’ decisions to support hurricane relief, even if their own organization is not affected.” According to the PGI, Americans have been giving at record amounts. As of Dec. 15, the total U.S. private donations for the earthquake in Pakistan were $128 million, for the Gulf Coast hurricanes, $3 billion, and for the tsunami, $1.8 billion. The total donations reached the $1 billion

mark quickly as well; three weeks for the hurricanes and eight weeks for the tsunami. “I don’t think people are necessarily tired of giving, but a lot of us really don’t have anything left to give,” said Daniel Cane, 41 who donated to Hurricane Katrina relief. “It’s not fatigue that we’re witnessing, I think that some people reached capacity,” agrees Angela Dabney, senior vice president of resource development for United Way of Central Indiana. “I think some people get to the point feeling as if they can’t make a difference anymore. I really don’t believe in donor fatigue because I see too many people excited about changing their community.” United Way, Dabney says, is still striving to meet its goal of $36.6 million, of which they’ve already raised 85 percent. But it’s not organizations like United Way or the Salvation Army that are taking the biggest hit of donor fatigue, says Timothy L. Seiler, director of public service and the Fund-Raising School at CPIU. It’s human services organizations, such as food banks and homeless shelters. “They are often among the first nonprofits to be affected and among the last to recover when economic and other factors impact fund-raising,” he says. “Many operate on a shoestring and rely on a large pool of smaller donations from people who can least afford to give.” Altmeyer, who has been at the helm of Gleaners since 1981 believes Gleaners will recover - though they have a lot of work to do. “If you’re a little short on holiday cash right now, don’t worry,” she said. “We’ll still need your help in January, March, July and October. Gleaners will be here until every bowl is full.”

The Indianapolis Recon

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December 2^ 200^ • 7~10 p.m. $10.00 admission

Savoy

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Admission includes:

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SAVOY

New Orleans Cuisine and ultra Lounge 2200 W. 86'th Street

MOtT a CHAN D< 1 Go RSVP (optional not required) call Lisa, event coordinator at

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