Four-five rocks!

Newspaper review (2)
Date of article: 26 November 2008
Title: Charities face big drops in donations
Section: Straits times-page A5

Overview of article:

Charities have started tightening their belts, as donations take a hit in this period of financial crisis. The national Kidney Foundation (NKF) has frozen hiring for non-medical staff, while the Singapore Heart Foundation has stopped all recruitment. Next year, the Singapore Red Cross society will freeze manpower and wages.
Charities have also reported gloomy results for recent fund-raisers and while they received fewer funds, more and more people are asking for financial aid. At the Singapore Children’s society Family Service Centre, the number of people asking for financial aid has shot up by almost half in the last three months, compared to the same period last year.
The 15 charities interviewed all expect raising funds to get really difficult next year and tapping their reserves is one option if donations are not forthcoming.

Reflections:

Following the NKF scandal, many people lost trust in charitable organizations on the usage of funds and donations have dropped since then. Now, charities are feeling the heat after donations have dipped even more drastically, whether from public or companies. It is not about people being stingy and refusing to donate, but it is about people who do not have the ability to even support their families and cannot afford to be too generous. Companies have all been affected by the crisis and people are suffering from pay cuts, therefore, it is understandable that charities are receiving lesser donations. However, I don’t think that it will affect charities that much as they have their reserves and donations are still flowing into these organizations. The real problem would only appear when the reserves are being used up and patients and those who are in need would suffer due to fewer subsidies. I feel that people should do their best for charity and as there are more people in need out there.

melvin