Demand Up, Donations Down For Local Organizations

By Nancy K. Crevier

Nobody says the “R” word, but local organizations that rely on the generosity of others can see that people are walking on eggshells when it comes to the economy.

Large worries like mortgages and the cost of gasoline prevent people from making the large donations that they have previously, but the concerns can be seen even on a smaller scale. Library volunteer Pat Marshall and other Friends of the C.H. Booth Library volunteers are wondering why book donations for the annual Book Sale have dropped off noticeably from former years.

“Normally, when the winter weather breaks we start getting so many book donations,” said Ms Marshall. “This year, we come in on Mondays and there will only be few bags of books, and a light crew of volunteers finishes up in half an hour.”

One recent day, as the group counted down to the date of the big sale, scheduled this year from July 12 to 16, at Reed Intermediate School, Trades Lane, they pondered reasons for the low volume of donations. “I was in marketing, so I’m always asking myself, ‘Why is this happening? Why is that going on?’ We think that [the smaller number of books being donated] is probably due to the housing slump,” Ms Marshall said. “People aren’t moving right now.” And when people do not move, they are not in such a hurry to thin out book collections, leaving the volunteers at the library to wonder if the spring cleaning bug is finally going to hit residents and boost the number of books they will have at the July sale, the Friends’ largest income producer.

The Book Nook on the main level of the C.H. Booth Library, where patrons can purchase gently used books, has also felt the pinch of low donations. “I’ve been struggling to keep a good stock of current books in the Book Nook,” said Ms Marshall.

“If everyone could clean out and bring us in a bag of books, we will be in even better shape than we are right now. We will still have lots of books [for the sale], but maybe not so many as past years without more donations soon,” said Ms Marshall. Library volunteers are happy to pick up book donations locally. Call 426-4533 and leave a message for the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library.

Clothing and household item donations have been consistent, however, at the VNA Thrift Shop beneath Edmond Town Hall. VNA President Becky Smith said that volunteers there have not noticed a slowdown in donations. At the Cornerstone Thrift Shop operated by the Newtown Congregational Church, longtime volunteer and Co-chairperson Judy Craven commented that while clothing donations last month were few, there is always an ebb and flow with donations. “If [the small number of donations] kept up for several months, I would be concerned,” said Ms Craven.

But other local organizations have observed that donations are not up to snuff this year. “We have not had the monetary donations this year that we had last year,” said Virginia Jess, president of the Canine Advocates of Newtown. She blames the economy and mortgage problems that people are experiencing. It is not just donations that are suffering, though, she said. “The dog pound is overloaded and we seem to always have at least ten cats at the pound now, as well. I have a feeling it is because of foreclosures and people having hard luck. It is a scary thing,” she said. Luckily, generous residents have continued to donate dog and cat food to the pound, she said.

Another animal care group in town has not yet noticed a downturn in donations, but suspects that it soon will. Marion Thompson, president of Spay and Neuter Association of Newtown (SNAN), said that monetary donations are about the same as a year ago, but the group will be going through the funds more quickly because of increased requests for services. SNAN provides discounted services for spaying, neutering, and vaccinations, as well as referrals for placement of animals throughout a large part of western and central Connecticut.

“We are seeing more people who have lost their homes who are looking for places for their pets and much more demand for help with the costs of spaying and vaccinating pets,” Ms Thompson said. “That’s the way we are beginning to see the problems [with the economy] here at SNAN.”

Thanks to generous donations from various local organizations, the FAITH Food Pantry located in the basement of St John’s Episcopal Church on Washington Avenue has been able to stay fairly well stocked, said pantry Co-chairperson Lee Paulson, but donations from individuals are definitely down from last year. What worries her is the demand placed on the FAITH food cupboards the past few months. Despite the food drives, she is concerned that what has been donated will quickly be depleted.

“We need everything,” she said. “We need food, home care supplies, toiletries like soap and shampoo, just everything,” she said. Donations can be dropped off in the basement of the church Tuesdays between 10 am and noon, or Thursdays between 6 and 7:30 pm. To make other arrangements to donate, contact Lee Paulson at 426-5604.

“We are so, so busy. We had 31 families [come into the food pantry] one day a couple of weeks ago, when normally we would see five or six. It’s the economy,” Ms Paulson said.