A Very Giving Community

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Local charitable giving remains strong during holidays despite economic woes

It's that time of year where almost every door of every store finds a red kettle manned by a bell ringer. Christmas is a time for giving.

It is also, however, a time when the needs of the less fortunate seem accentuated and when the economy is down, as it has been in central Illinois the last few years, the number of those in need increases.

Luckily, say those in the area that run charities, Peoria is a very giving community. "This city, this area never ceases to amaze me, the way it will open its hearts and wallets for those in need. It really is an amazingly giving community," said Phil Jordan, director of marketing at the Journal Star and in charge of the newspaper's annual Journal Star Christmas Fund.

The Christmas Fund is money collected by donations, named or anonymous, that is used to pay for food baskets and toys and other items. The Journal Star accepts letters from people asking for food or toys for their kids or requests for the items for somebody else, then works with the Salvation Army to make sure they get distributed.

Jordan said he has evidence that giving does not decrease when the economy turns sour: The amount collected by the Journal Star Christmas Fund in 2009, the worst year for the recession, set a record. "It's because people who were able to give knew there were others who were hurting, even more than normal, and they wanted to help," he said.

Not surprisingly, he added, he has noticed an uptick in the number of requests for food baskets and toys. "It has stayed up there the last couple years," he said, noting the fund paid for 5,285 food baskets each of the last two years. He expects it will be about the same again this year.

The fund pays for about 1,700 backpacks filled with toys and games for children that are given out at special events.

Jordan said the Journal Star considers the Christmas Fund "the community's project. The community gives us the resources; all we do is facilitate it."
He cited the efforts of the owners of Lindy's grocery in Washington for procuring the meat for the food baskets at their cost, getting it packaged through volunteers, then helping deliver them.

"We get a lot of help for this project. Every year the community comes through like a champ," he said.

Those were similar to sentiments expressed by Michael Stephan, president of the Heart of Illinois United Way.

"Charitable giving is always very strong during the holiday season. I think it's those who can help showing their appreciation for others," he said.

Last year the annual United Way campaign saw a slight increase in giving from 2009 – from $8.6 million to $8.7 million – but Stephan is not ready to predict how this year's campaign, which is about halfway finished, will end. That's partly because of the economy and the fact that 45 of its partner agencies have sustained $9.4 million in state and federal funding cuts the last two years. Because of that many have had to increase the number of fund raisers.

"This, of course, is all coming at a time when demand on these agencies is increasing because of the economy. There is a real stress right now on agencies that provide health and human services," he said.

Still, Stephan said, he doesn't doubt the community will come through. "This community, I have found, is very giving. People want to help the less fortunate when they can. But at the same time, in this world of being able to get information about anything you want people are becoming more and more astute about their charitable giving.

"We have found that more and more we have to show accountability to people to show we are worthy of their charitable dollar. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. In fact, if we can show accountability and worthiness, we will get that charitable dollar," Stephan said.

Rich Draeger, assistant development director for the Salvation Army Heartland Division, also believes not-for-profits agencies in central Illinois are seen in a good light by area residents.

"I know this sounds cliché but I think a big part of it is that Midwestern, blue-collar thinking. People in this area appreciate those who work hard and feel for them when things are tough. They also appreciate those who are straightforward and trustworthy about the needs," Draeger said.

Charitable giving to the Salvation Army has remained strong, he added. Nationally it was up 3 percent to 4 percent in 2010 over 2009. "There are exceptions, of course, but non-profit giving in central Illinois has fared pretty well in the down economy," he said.

That includes donations to the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign, which can be found across the country. In 2010, the kettles set out at 42 sites in Peoria, East Peoria, Bartonville and Washington – the towns the Peoria office takes care of -- took in $273,000. That was up from $265,000 in 2009. Pekin and Morton kettles are handled by the Pekin office, he said.

"It has remained steady in the 12 years I've been here. Any decreases have been more weather related than economy related," Draeger said. He said the most collected in the last 12 years was $278,000 and and the low was $260,000.

This year the kettles will show up on Friday, Nov. 11. That isn't earlier than normal, Draeger said, in that they always make their appearance two Fridays before Thanksgiving.

The Salvation Army Tree of Lights Campaign begins that same day with a kickoff celebration at Four Points by Sheraton in downtown Peoria. The event also will celebrate the Salvation Army's 125th anniversary in Peoria.

"Last year was a tougher year for the Tree of Lights for a couple different reasons, so this year we're probably trying a few new things to generate more interest," Draeger said.

When The Peorian went to press the details of those things had not yet been unveiled.

The Heartland Division of the Salvation Army serves 72 counties in Illinois and eastern Iowa

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