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News > <= A=20 href=3D"http://www.kentucky.com/179/index.html">Fayette = County

Fayette = County =20

Posted on Sun, Jun. 01, 2008

repr= int or=20 license print email

Digg=20 it del.icio.us AIM=20

Fayette non-profits brace for lean times

FOR NOW, GIVING IS KEEPING UP WITH LARGER DEMAND

By Michelle Ku

MKU@HERALD-LEADER.COM

David Perry | Staff

Volunteer Yvonne Moulton pushed and dragged = bags full of=20 gifts donated to the Salvation Army=B9s Angel Tree and Mountain of Love = campaigns=20 through the distribution center in December 2005. File photo by David = Perry |=20 Staff

Food and gasoline: Soaring prices hit the poor hardest =

Comments<= /A>=20

The downturn in the economy has people turning to non-profits for = shelter,=20 clothing and food more than ever.

In Fayette County, God's Pantry Food Bank reports a 34 percent = increase, year=20 over year, in the number of people requesting emergency food = supplies.

The Salvation Army, which has 152 beds in its shelter, is at or = beyond=20 capacity most nights.

God's Garments, a free clothing, household goods and appliance store = operated=20 by the Catholic Action Center on East Seventh Street, is averaging about = 100=20 customers during the four hours it's open each day.

Despite the increased need, the charities have been able to keep up = with the=20 demand, but that might not be the case in a few months.

"We're holding our own," said Marian Guinn, CEO of God's Pantry. = "Will that=20 be able to continue? I don't know. None of us can really forecast how = the=20 economy is going to unroll."

God's Pantry is already feeling the pinch with cost increases in its = two=20 largest expense categories: transportation and basic food items such as = eggs,=20 peanut butter, pasta and cereal, she said.

"We're being faced with unprecedented demand at the time that our = cost of=20 operation is higher than it's ever been," Guinn said. "We do have some = concerns=20 that charitable support may not be able to keep up."

For now, donations of cash and goods to local charities appear to be = even or,=20 in some cases, slightly ahead of giving at this time last year.

Central Kentucky is a very caring community, said Kathy Plomin, = president of=20 United Way of the Bluegrass.

"When times are looking challenging, people feel closer by taking = care of the=20 needs of others," Plomin said. "Like, for instance, with the gas. If you = think=20 for yourself 'I'm struggling here to pay $4 a gallon,' just think of the = folks=20 working perhaps in fast food, making minimum wage. What does that mean = for them?=20 You tend to care more."

Although donations are holding steady at the Salvation Army, the = concern is=20 that there could be a decrease in the holiday kettle campaign and mail = appeal,=20 said Maj. Debbie Ashcraft, the Salvation Army's Central Kentucky area = services=20 associate coordinator.

To prepare for the kettle season, the Salvation Army is recruiting = for bell=20 ringing now "because we know that we may be able to raise more money in = kettles=20 if we covered more areas," Ashcraft said.

For the first time, the Salvation Army is also working to line up=20 corporations to make monetary donations to the Angel Tree program, in = which=20 community members adopt families for the holidays.

Last year, the Angel Tree program received requests for 6,242 = children, about=20 1,000 more than the previous year, Ashcraft said. The number of Angel = Tree=20 requests is expected to be even higher this year, she said.

Typically, sponsors adopt all of the Angel Tree cards, but the = Salvation Army=20 usually takes care of the families who apply after the Angel Tree = deadline,=20 Ashcraft said.

The corporate donations would be used to "purchase toys for the = children who=20 may not get adopted through the Angel Tree," Ashcraft said. "That would = make me=20 very sad if we couldn't provide Christmas for kids."

At the Hope Center, cash donations for the first 10 months of the = fiscal year=20 are up about half a percent over the same period in the previous fiscal = year,=20 spokesman Walter May said.

Reach Michelle Ku at (859) 231-1335 or = 1-800-950-6397,=20 Ext. 1335.

The Herald-Leader is pleased to provide this opportunity for = readers=20 to comment on stories and issues. However, we urge readers to avoid = personal=20 attacks or inappropriate remarks in their postings. Some of the comments = may be=20 reprinted in the newspaper. The views expressed here are not those of = the=20 Herald-Leader or its staff. Registered user names are posted for=20 comments.