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SALT LAKE CITY -- As many Utahns gather to celebrate the Easter weekend and the beginning of spring, it's an appropriate time to reflect on those in our society who are less hopeful about their future.
It's a part of our community that, unfortunately, is growing.
Non-profit organizations that service special needs populations are struggling. The recession has taken a significant toll, and the fallout is extensive.
As we look toward an improving economy, KSL believes it is a good time to consider the harsh impact of a national and local trend that only we, as individuals, have the power to reverse.
The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University reports that donations by high-income Americans are down 35 percent. That has had a ripple effect felt by nearly every organization that relies on public largesse.
And the trend is hitting close to home.
Last week, the United Way of Salt Lake announced its funding is down by 20 percent, forcing significant cuts in programs it has long supported. Organizations that provide critical services to large numbers of people - like the YWCA, the Boys and Girls Clubs, Head Start, and Volunteers of America -- will again, sadly, have to make do with less, at a time when demands for their services are at historic highs.
Even in hard times, Utahns have traditionally opened their wallets for those in need. The national "generosity index," which measures philanthropic contributions from state to state, consistently has Utah near the top. The most recent data showed while Utah ranked 28th in the nation in per capita income, it was No. 2 in the rate of charitable contributions.
And aside from donating money, studies have shown that Utahns are also more likely to volunteer their time and services.
It is a proclivity toward philanthropy that is admirable, and at this particular point in time, imperative.
As we look toward an improving economy, KSL believes it is a good time to consider the harsh impact of a national and local trend that only we, as individuals, have the power to reverse.
Email: cpsarras@ksl.com
