After Black Friday and Cyber Monday down, charities are asking for a piece of the pie, too.
Several national nonprofits are encouraging people to consider what they can give to charity tomorrow, before their holiday budgets are spent. They’re calling it “Giving Tuesday.”
United Way of Natrona County Executive Director Mike Burnett says he doesn’t know much about this campaign, but he says year-end donations are extremely important to charitable organizations.
“Funds are being cut both at the federal level and the state level to these non-profits whose services are being increased. And it requires quite a trick on their part to be able to deliver the services at the same time their funding is diminishing.”
Burnett says year-end donations are already popular, because people want to give to charity after their yearly expenses are settled but before the next tax year. He says those donations are vitally important for United Way’s partnering charities.
“The calls for service escalate incredibly here in the winter time for assistance with heating, electric bills. It’s not uncommon, people calling saying I need some help because I’m $600 or $700 behind on a payment and my power’s gonna be shut off.”
So far, United Way of Natrona has raised more than 80-percent of their one-point-two-million dollars for the 2013 year. Burnett says people in the Casper area give generously and reliably each year, so he’s not sure the “Giving Tuesday” campaign will make much of a difference for them, but that a subtle reminder doesn’t hurt.
