Help is here

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 8, 2008

A new study of volunteerism in the U.S. provides a beam of hope in these worrisome economic times.

The study, published Tuesday in USA Today, shows that Topeka is among the top 10 midsized American cities in percentage of residents who performed volunteer service last year.

A whopping 40.6 percent of Topekans ages 16 and older pitched in their time in 2007, giving the city the No. 6 ranking among communities with 100,000 to 1 million people.

That news is encouraging in light of the financial tailspin, which has prompted local nonprofit organizations to brace for a possible drop in donations.

Granted, time and money are two different things, but it's not a big leap to think a community that will lend a hand to disadvantaged residents will also aid them financially.

It's rarely been more important for Topekans to do just that.

A number of organizations are facing potential financial shortfalls partly because of reductions in grants from foundations. In those cases, it's a simple yet harsh matter of economics and math. The foundations base their level of giving on percentages of their assets. A swooning economy cuts the value of assets, and donations follow suit.

Charitable organizations throughout Topeka have been advised to trim expenses and find innovative ways to raise money to stave off potential shortfalls in donations.

Here's hoping Topeka can weather the crisis without reducing support to those who need it.

Undoubtedly, the spirit of giving is alive and well in the community. It flows from institutions like Washburn University, which recently adopted graduation requirements that include an option for community service work, and individuals like Cassie Blackwell, a Seaman High School student who gave away stuffed bears and held a tea party recently for children at the Topeka Rescue Mission's Hope Center.

Those are just a couple of countless examples of caring in Topeka.

It's an attitude shared by our neighbors in Kansas and throughout the Midwest. The USA Today study showed Kansas was among 12 states where at least 35 percent of residents volunteered. Of those dozen, 10 were in the Great Plains.

If the economy continues to worsen, it will be harder and harder to maintain a commitment to charitable giving.

But remember, the economic downturn isn't just a worry for some who need shelter, food, clothing and other goods and services. It's potentially devastating, because it threatens the only safety net they have -- support from good Samaritans.

Fortunately, there are lots of those in Topeka, in Kansas and throughout the Midwest.