By BERNICE YEUNG
In order to give, charities need to receive.
Some Sunnyvale organizations report that donations during the 1995 holiday season, which happened amid federal cutbacks, power outages and economic uncertainty for many people, were sufficient at best. A few struggled to meet needs. Others prospered. A survey of several area non-
profit organizations reveals that local donations greatly varied.
The Sunnyvale Salvation Army reported a 10 percent decrease in overall donations for the year. Volunteers attributed the low rate of donations to the economy.
"I think it's because the economy is down and people aren't spending," caseworker Lynn Orion said.
"I don't know whether the donations have been low because people are on a budget or whether money is tight and the job market is down," Commanding Officer Major Martha Nunes added.
In addition, the storm that hit the Bay Area mid-December led to a power outage that prevented the Salvation Army in Sunnyvale from receiving perishable goods for the 220 food bags it hands out during the holiday season. Although the organization did not turn anyone away, and even managed to provide more food baskets than it did in 1994, 40 vouchers had to be handed out to make up for the shortage of goods, Orion said.
A downturn in private donations during the 1995 holiday season was compensated for by corporate sponsors. However, if donations remain low this year, the Salvation Army--a year-round organization--will be hurt.
"We were able to provide for the families that we have committed to, but I think that in the long term, when there's not a lot of holiday spirit around, we'll really feel it," Nunes said.
Sunnyvale FISH, an alliance of Sunnyvale churches that provides food and clothing to needy families year-round, also experienced a decrease in donations, said Nellie Hungerford, organizer of the FISH Thanksgiving Basket Program. Yet the group was able to meet its goals with the help of Sunnyvale Community Services .
According to a Sunnyvale FISH news release, the group handed out a total of 425 food baskets at Thanksgiving, 35 of which came from SCS.
Sunnyvale Community Services and other local charities fared better this holiday season. SCS, which provides food and goods for up to 130 families daily, noted a decrease in product donations but an increase in monetary offerings. The annual SCS Christmas Auction, which raised $9,500 this year--an increase of $2,500--added to their resources, said Nancy Tivol, the group's executive director.
Despite cuts in federal funding, SCS found that the public is extremely generous as long as they know where their money is spent. "People are getting to know what we do and they trust us," Tivol said. "If we relied on traditional funding, then we'd have to turn people away nine weeks of every 12 weeks of a quarter. Because of the community, we haven't had to turn anyone who showed a need in five years."
Meanwhile, Our Daily Bread reported a slight increase in donations. The Sunnyvale organization, started by St. Thomas Church, serves a hot meal three times per week.
The annual toy and food drive to benefit CityTeam Ministries also achieved success. The effort, spearheaded by the Wolf family of Sunnyvale, garnered eight tons of food and 30 boxes of new toys from local residences.
The Wolf family doubled the money donated, increased the food donations and attracted a larger number of volunteers than in 1994. Ann Wolf attributed the drive's success to the fact that she has tapped into an enthusiastic work force--teenagers.
"Most of the volunteers are in high school and junior high," Wolf said. "At the end of the day, I'm dead tired and they want to go out and play broom hockey."
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, January 3, 1996
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