THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 13, 1995 TAG: 9512130001
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
The 1995 Combined United Way Campaign officially ended a couple of weeks ago after raising $15.4 million. The total will be bigger when all Navy ships at sea have reported in within the next few days. Last year's campaign in South Hampton Roads raised $15.3 million.
Not all money raised gets to the needy. Just as it takes money to make money, it takes money to solicit money for charity and to record precisely pledges, collections and disbursements. The United Way of South Hampton Roads keeps fund-raising and year-round administrative costs below 15 percent - much less than the 25 percent that the National Charities Information Bureau estimates is the norm.
Too bad that every dollar for charity cannot go directly to aid the unfortunate. Demands on charity multiply despite national economic gains. Two examples:
The occupancy rate at South Hampton Roads' seven homeless shelters averaged 70 percent a few years ago; it averages 90 percent now.
The HER Shelter for battered women and children took in 430 women and children in 1992, 699 in 1994.
The increase in calls upon these shelters' services is like that experienced by the dozens of other regional charities dependent to varying degree wholly or partly upon United Way dollars to sustain them. The rising demand upon Hampton Roads charities reflects the rising demand nationally.
When federal social-welfare reforms progressing through Congress take effect, pressures on charities will intensify. The Republican congressional majority expresses confidence that the private sector can and will do more for the needy as federal spending on social-welfare programs is curbed.
The reformers argue that private-sector charities bring a personal touch to the sick and disabled, the hungry, the homeless, the troubled, the addicted that government cannot. The reformers also argue that increased charitable activity at the grass roots strengthens communities.
Both propositions are true. And Americans' personal generosity to the needy is recognized worldwide. Millions of Americans volunteer time, talent and treasure to charities. Although contributions to United Ways decreased (by less than 1 percent) in 1994, donations to the 400 largest U.S. charities rose 6.3 percent - 22.4 billion, or roughly $1 in every $6 for charity nationwide.
But sectarian and secular charities alike fear that diminished federal spending on social welfare will create far more demand for services than they can provide. The U.S. Catholic Bishops and 45 other religious groups warn that private-sector charities will be unable to care for those who ``fall through the cracks'' created by prospective reforms.
Charities already are necessarily doing more and more. The rest of us must do more too. Will we do enough? We're about to find out who are the better prophets: the 46 religious groups or the reformers in Washington. by CNB