Charities hope for the best in turbulent times
By Diana McLaren • Bankrate.com
Consumers and corporate executives aren't the only Canadians with economic concerns in light of falling stock markets and
higher unemployment. Charities that depend on voluntary donations are also wondering how they'll fare as 2008 draws to a close and a new
year begins under an economic cloud.
Amid general concern for charitable giving, figures released this month by Statistics
Canada show that Canadians' charitable donations actually rose in 2007 over the previous year by 1.4 percent. "This figure is consistent
with previous years," says Stats Can researcher Francine Monette. "The median donation has increased by approximately $10 every year since
1998 with the exception of last year when it remained the same."
Regional differences
While the median donation remained at $250 in 2007, some areas of the country saw decreases in the amount individuals donated to charities,
such as a decline of 7.8 percent in New Brunswick. These were offset by fairly significant increases in donation amounts in Alberta (up 7.3
percent) and the Yukon, where donation amounts rose by 12.2 percent.
One statistic that may show signs of trouble on the
horizon is the decline in the number of Canadians who donated in
2007 over the previous year. While that figure is slightly less
than 1 percent, coupled with the current economic outlook, it's
keeping charities on their toes in seeking support.
Loyal supporters
"Our donors have proven to be fairly loyal in the past," says Andrew
Burditt, a spokesperson for
The Salvation Army in Toronto. "We have a very good relationship
with the public, and we do have a very large footprint in terms
of service. We are the largest nongovernmental social service agency,
and we are very honest and transparent with the public."
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