As nonprofits struggle, those who can help must do so

When the economy is at its worst, it's generally those who were in need to begin with who suffer the most. During times like these, the agencies they rely on to help them get by are similarly struggling to make ends meet.

Just like the department stores, nonprofits look forward to the holidays as the time when a goodly portion of their annual income arrives. But with wages stagnating and unemployment lingering at 9 percent, donations don't come in at the same clip they did before the recession of 2008.

That's just one leg of what an executive quoted in one of our stories this week describes as a "triple whammy" afflicting nonprofits. With governments struggling to keep expenditures in line with revenues, local, state and federal contributions have shrunk. Meanwhile, the woes of the financial markets have clobbered endowments.

With all this in mind, it's more important than ever that you read our annual Share Your Blessings piece, in which Howard County nonprofits tell us what (in addition to cash) they need to continue their work.

If you're in a position to help, please do.

Copyright © 2021, The Baltimore Sun, a Baltimore Sun Media Group publication | Place an Ad
82°