Charities gear up for Christmas season

Three months from today is Christmas Day.

No pressure there… and how challenging might this Christmas season be for everyone in the toughest economy most of us can remember.

Related Links:

United Way of Central Alabama

Salvation Army: Greater Birmingham Command

 

It might be a year to get back to basics: family, faith and a spirit of giving.

That’s the way most Christmas seasons are for the charities many folks count on at Christmas time and all year round.

In this especially tough economy, we wanted to hear from local charities who know that when times are tough, the needs are greatest.

Will it mean anything to you this holiday season?

I’ve known Larry Logan forever. He might be one of the best hearted people I know. A perfect fit as executive director for the United Way Community Food Bank, both in good times and bad.

“We’re just constantly facing different battles, but thank God every time you lose a little here you pick up a little there, so that’s the good part,“ Logan said.

The food is stacked to the ceiling here. And you’d think the supply is great, but the need is even greater.

In years past, Larry Logan said, they could count on local companies to step up with a constant supply of food.

Larry Logan said companies like Bruno’s, Bama Foods and Keebler are no longer around—either out of business or relocated—and that’s a direct hit on his agency.
But, Larry said food supplies have increased from the United States Department of Agriculture in recent years, and from time to time, private companies and individuals come through with generous donations.

Drew Langloh, president of United Way of Central Alabama, said, “We’re hoping to just hold even on donations this year, but it is going to be a challenge because there is a lot less people in some of our best employee workplace campaigns, they have a lot less people.“

Drew Langloh has the daunting job as president of the United Way of Central Alabama to set and reach fund-raising goals for the United Way each year.  As the economy began to get in trouble, the agency saw trouble ahead of human service agencies too.

“As more people lose their jobs, as unemployment rises, we’re going to see more and more people looking at the human services system, our member agencies and others for help, and in fact that’s exactly what we’ve seen,“ Langloh said.

As a community, Birmingham is the 48th largest United Way area in the country, but our area ranks 23rd in all of the country in total donations.

“For those folks who are still employed and still working it’s a little scary, and we’re finding that they’re still holding their charitable giving fairly high on their list of priorities, because I think people in our community have a way of understanding that they’re fortunate compared with what others are going through,“ Langloh said.

In the heart of downtown Birmingham, money matters to the Salvation Army too…but it’s different too.

Tree Davidson with the Salvation Army in Birmingham doesn’t need to crunch the numbers when times are tough.

“First of all the Salvation Army is an organization of faith, so in the bad times and the good times we have faith that it’s either going to continue, or it’s going to get better. That’s the motto around here, that’s what we live by,“ Davidson said.
 
Since May, the local Salvation Army has seen an increase of 220 people per month seeking help here in Birmingham.

Here at the Salvation Army headquarters downtown, they’re within an arms reach of many people who live on the streets and need clothing.

“We have that policy that we don’t turn anyone away…those people are going to need coats when they go out the same day, so we try to get those coats to them then,“ Davidson said.

If money is a little tight with you, Davidson said don’t think you’re not valuable to them.

“In a tough economic time, people can volunteer, they can clean out their closets,” Davidson said. “There’s always people coming here looking for clothing. Do a food drive with their church; with their office something like that, those type things. I had someone say to me that it’s not Christmas until they hear the bells ring, and that’s something that just warms my heart because I think people enjoy volunteering to ring the bell and they like the spirit of it to and it reminds everybody while we’re out shopping there are people that are still in need and there are many ways that they’re able to help.“

Larry Logan said, “You have a lot of people stepping up to the plate, and we have a lot of local companies that are doing food drives and for that we’re really grateful.“

Everyone I talked with said similar things.

This has been a tough year, but don’t look at the upcoming holiday season as a challenge.

Instead, look at it as possibly the greatest opportunity you’ve ever had to reach out to others.

No bailouts…no handouts…just regular folks caring about each other.