THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 31, 1994 TAG: 9412310286
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
The feeling of joy in the Joy Fund office has been dulled this week by ledgers showing that the fund that gives Christmas gifts to children every year is more than $132,000 off its goal.
``We are quite a bit behind,'' said Eunice Joynes, one of the fund's coordinators. ``We're not getting much as far as donations go and we're in need of the public to help us along.''
As of Friday, the fund had received $254,990.76, far short of what is needed to cover the value of coupons distributed at Christmas. Last year, the fund exceeded its goal by a few thousand dollars, taking in about $370,000.
Some donations do come in after the holidays, ``but not a huge volume,'' Joynes said. ``We do get some companies coming forth the first part of January. However, we can't depend on it.''
Based on after-the-holidays giving in previous years, even normal levels of donations would not fill the gap this year, she said.
``We are in desperate need of funds to cover our expenditures,'' Joynes said. Donors need not worry that their donations - which are tax deductible - will be used to cover salaries, electric bills or postage.
``We do not take anything out of our donations,'' Joynes said. ``The dollar going in is a full dollar going out to the family.''
All the administrative expenses are picked up by The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, with help from a few businesses that donate office equipment.
The fund has changed a little this year. The age range of children helped was dropped from those under 12 to those under 10. At the same time, the program was extended to the Eastern Shore.
The coupons that children receive increased in value to $15. Those can be redeemed at participating merchants. This year, 28,711 children received gifts.
Participating merchants make their contribution to the program. When they redeem the $15 coupons, they actually get back 90 % of the face value. The other 10 % is left to help the fund spread the benefits to more children.
Roberta B. Cake, a newspaper spokeswoman, said the fund has been short of its goal at this point in past years.
``Sometimes we just get a miracle kind of a check from some foundation, but right now we have no indication that we are going to get some big windfall,'' Cake said.
In looking at levels of giving by different parts of the community, Cake said the one area that appeared to have dropped back this year was business.
``It could be that people are tightening their belts a little more,'' she said. ``We have had a generous outpouring from individuals. But we are seeing some pulling back in some major corporations. While many have been generous, the donations overall have not been as much as in previous years.''
Because the Joy Fund operates all year, donations will continue to be accepted. And the books don't close on this year until July 30, Cake said.
If the money does not come in, ``the newspaper picks up our deficit,'' Joynes said. ``It always has.'' But a big deficit this year could have an impact next year.
``We don't turn away children,'' Joynes said. But a lot of red ink might force a reassessment of how much is given or who is helped.
That could mean a few less happy Christmases in the future.
The basics of the Joy Fund have changed little since it began in 1934 in the Depression.
It was launched by Thomas A. Hanes, who was then managing editor of what is now The Ledger-Star, after his wife Margaret discovered the great need in the community.
She was teaching at Ocean View Elementary School and became concerned about a youngster who had been absent several weeks. When she went to his home to check on him, she found the boy's mother ill in bed with a 3-day-old child.
The woman had not eaten since the birth of the baby and there was nothing to feed any of her other children.
Margaret Hanes told her sisters and her husband of the visit. That night, they carried food to the family.
The next day, Tom Hanes started the wheels rolling for the community to respond, not to just this one family's needs, but for all who were desperate.
People donated food, toys, clothes and cash. All day Christmas Eve and far into Christmas Day, volunteers delivered baskets to needy homes.
In later years, a coupon system was established to provide food and clothes. Now, the fund provides clothes and toys to children throughout South Hampton Roads and on the Eastern Shore.
KEYWORDS: CHARITY by CNB