Perspectives
by ED CHERRYHOLMES
Tax time is here and most people are besieged with pleas for money. There are requests for help either from profit making firms or non-profit agencies. They are working tirelessly in a troubled economy. I don’t have any problems turning down the profit making organizations’ requests for money. Nearly every pitch by mail or phone I can do without.
We have all been hurt by the economy and who can say when things will improve? In the meantime, we have to say “no” time after time when the phone marketers call. I keep the pitch to a minute or less, knowing that their time is valuable and I’m not going to respond in any event.
My real problem is having to turn down worthy non-profit organizations. In a day when non-profit needs are increasing, most people have less money to give. How can we respond when our income is less this year than last year? We feel a sense of guilt when we are lucky to be able to contribute as much as we did last year, but not able to afford one dollar more this year.
There is also the question of supporting many agencies with a little donation to each or a few agencies with a large donation to each? Hardly a day goes by that we don’t receive a request to support cancer research which is a most worthy cause. We turn these down as all our support for cancer research goes to the James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University. When it comes to higher education we support a variety of institutions. Which method is best?
Some of the agencies are doing a great job with the money they have. However, the needs of those whom they serve are increasing, and there never seems to be enough resources to go around. All we can do is to make certain we support non-profits as well as we can and give our conscience a rest.
Even Jesus recognized this truth when he said: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. Truly I tell you: just as you did it to one of the least of these…you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:35-36, 40) We must do the best we can in the midst of hard times and be at peace.
