Unusual need challenges our generosity

It's easy to be benevolent when times are good, but it's often what you give in the lean years that really counts.

And even though more families in the Corridor are struggling this holiday season - in fact, because more families are struggling - it's critical that everyone reach as deep as they are able to help less fortunate neighbors.

Gifts to local charities - such as the Salvation Army, United Way, Hawkeye Area Community Action Program and others - are especially important this year, when the need is so great.

Helping neighbors during this difficult time is the best gift you can give this holiday season. We hope everyone able helps out however they can.

Recently, we heard some troubling news on that front: For the first time in seven years, United Way of East Central Iowa officials think the agency may miss it's annual fundraising goal.

The organization's recent projections are they might not even reach last year's totals, Lois Buntz, president and CEO of the Cedar Rapids agency, recently told a Gazette reporter.

The agency hopes to raise $10.5 million this year to support more than 40 area non-profit partner agencies - health and human service groups that support struggling neighbors with food, shelter, clothing and other critical needs.

Ironically, it's that great need that is making it difficult for the United Way to reach it's goal, Buntz told the reporter:

“We've been fighting an uphill battle against difficult economic conditions and significant employee reductions or plant closures at a number of companies,” she said.

United Way leaders say they're striving to meet their goal - asking large donors to give a bit more to make up the difference. We hope individual contributors step up, too.

To help, you can send a check to United Way of East Central Iowa, 1030 Fifth Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403; call (319) 398-5372 to charge a contribution charged to your credit card; or, give online at www.uweci.org

There also are only a few more weeks to drop change and bills in the Salvation Army red kettles, another critical fundraising to help local people with basic needs.

The money raised during this annual campaign funds a major part of the Salvation Army's local work - making up just over half of the Iowa City organization's annual budget, and 40 percent of the budget in Cedar Rapids.

“It's critical,” Iowa City Salvation Army commander Terry Smith told a Gazette reporter. “If we don't raise the money over these five weeks here, we have to make decisions about the level of services through the year.”

Happily, Smith and his Cedar Rapids colleagues say they're pretty sure they'll meet their fundraising goals if people continue to donate through the campaign.

This time of unusual need requires us all to be unusually generous.