In a perfect world, nobody would need to hold up a grocery-store line while they counted pennies, nickels and dimes to pay for a day’s worth of food. Community organizations wouldn’t have to wonder whether this will be the year that they lose the fight to keep nonprofit theaters, drug treatment centers, animal rescues, health outreach programs and literacy efforts afloat. Workers in fancy restaurants and stores festooned in seasonal decorations would be able to afford the meals they prepare and the merchandise they sell. People without permanent shelter wouldn’t have to decide whether to sleep under a bridge overpass — and risk arrest — or look for someplace more isolated but potentially dangerous.
Seminole County Public Schools social worker Rosa Malagon selects toys for a student gift bag as a part of The Giving Tree toy drive at the county’s Educational Support Center in Lake Mary, Monday, December 12, 2022. Hosted by SCPS and community partners, an annual collection of donated toys and other holiday gifts for hundreds of Seminole students and their families in need. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
But this world is far from perfect. Here in Central Florida, local nonprofits are struggling under a weight of increased need and diminished resources — a situation exacerbated by the pinch of budget cuts at the state and federal level, slashing funding for things like school meals, family planning assistance, community based education programs and community arts programs.
If there’s one small sliver of silver lining here, it’s this: No matter what you care about — animal welfare organizations, environmental advocacy groups, domestic-violence shelters, faith-based youth programs or holiday toy drives that keep kids believing in Santa — there’s a place where your generosity is desperately needed.
Most Americans are generous, to whatever extent they can afford. In fact, philanthropy trackers suggest that lower-income households give a larger percentage of their total income to charity than those in bigger tax brackets. It’s not an easy figure to track, since most of these households don’t itemize their charitable contributions. But one annual report found that households that made some nonprofit contribution gave, on average, 4% of their annual income to nonprofits. For the lowest earners in the nation — those making less than $25,000 — that percentage jumps to 12%, according to the organization Philanthropy Roundtable.
It doesn’t have to be much to make a difference, if everyone does what they can — particularly when financial gifts combine with volunteering. Some congregate meal sites can feed multitudes for a handful of change per person. Donations of clothing, toys and books in decent to like-new condition can fill empty spaces under Christmas trees, and a few dollars can buy a pack of new socks or underwear for people without homes. (And we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention our own Community News Fund, which helps us pay for above-and-beyond efforts to investigate high-priority stories in this area.)
Poodle and Pooch Rescue of Central Florida, Florida Urgent Rescue, and Integrated Animal Hospital, triage dogs rescued from a home in Putnam County whose elderly owner had more than 200 animals, on Friday, March 15, 2024. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
Of course, those who can afford to do more are welcome — when tallied by dollars, the biggest percentage of charity support comes from households earning over $125,000, along with giving by local businesses. Tuesday, we ran a story about an effort by three of this area’s economic leaders — AdventHealth, the Orlando Magic and Florida Citrus Sports — that plan to spend $361,000 on stocking school food pantries in advance of the holiday break. This will let schools send students home for the break without worrying about whether they will have enough to eat.
Some gifts are astronomical in their impact — such as the $70 million in stock given four years ago by Austin Russell, founder of Luminar Technologies and one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the nation. The money went to establish a charitable fund at the Central Florida Foundation, which is partnering dozens of local nonprofits to help them stretch donations as far as possible. But that shouldn’t intimidate a local entrepreneur or business owner who wants to contribute by sponsoring a Little League team or partnering with a job-training program.
Before giving, it’s always a good idea to check up on the group you plan to donate to — if they are a registered nonprofit, IRS tax documents and reports from charity watchdog organizations can shed light on their fiscal affairs, and personal observation can provide clues on how efficiently they operate and how well they carry out their mission. Later this month, the Sentinel’s Scott Maxwell will offer his rundown on some worthy local charities you might not have known about.
But the biggest challenge is this: Find something that moves you, a mission that is doing good in your local area but needs help. Give what you can afford — with the blessing of knowing that every dollar helps make your community stronger and more resilient.
The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Use insight@orlandosentinel.com to contact us.
