In a year of giving, local needs unmet


		Joshua Trujillo / P-I
	Thomas Turner, left, takes a ribbing from Tyrone Drake as they share a meal Thursday at the Union Gospel Mission in downtown Seattle. In September, the charity received $250,000 less in donations than the same period a year ago. For the mission, that equates to 136,612 fewer meals.

Hurricanes and earthquakes have unleashed record-setting human compassion, with national and regional charitable organizations reporting that people are digging deep to help.

But many Seattle-area charities remain concerned about a shortage of money, saying donations they once might have received are going out of state or out of the country.

"We haven't seen any demonstrable donor fatigue," said Jeremy Barnicle, spokesman for Portland-based Mercy Corps, which has received about $60 million in private money in the past 12 months -- equal to the amount of donations the agency has received the past 10 years combined.

Washington state individuals, companies and foundations have played a huge role, Barnicle said. About half of Mercy Corps' donations come from the Northwest -- a quarter from Washington state and a quarter from Oregon. The Boeing Co. ($1 million) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ($500,000) boosted donations to $8.5 million for earthquake relief in Pakistan, and Starbucks donated $250,000 to Hurricane Stan victims in Central America.

U.S. charity officials report that Katrina, the nation's worst natural disaster in recent times, prompted nearly $3 billion in donations. Private gifts for tsunami victims in Southeast Asia totaled an estimated $1.6 billion.

"It seems to be a phenomenal year," said Stacy Palmer, editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Randy Strash, strategy director for emergency response for Federal Way-based World Vision, said the faith-based organization's record-breaking year shows donor "distraction," but not fatigue.

"With all the different needs and requests, people are still giving, sticking with their favorite charities," said Strash, noting that the group raised more than $10 million for Hurricane Katrina, then $2 million for Pakistan earthquake aid after appealing to those on a donor list.

"We've seen generosity from corporations, foundations and churches, but the large bulk of fund-raising we've seen for hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Stan and the Pakistan earthquake have come from individuals," Strash said. "Small donors make up 60 percent of our overall donors; they have carried the weight and been very generous."

Yet, the overwhelming response for national and international emergencies has left some Puget Sound-area needs unfilled.

The Salvation Army saw a huge influx of support in response to Hurricane Katrina, as well as a large chunk for tsunami aid. But diverted giving in September and October has left the Northwest Salvation Army about $110,000 in the hole, despite a rise in donations the last few weeks, said Scott Sciuchetti, donor-relations director for the Salvation Army.

"For us, it was more like donor diversion, or reallocation, not donor fatigue," Sciuchetti said.

Other Seattle-area charities say out-of-state giving is being felt locally, a huge concern as winter needs rise.

Northwest Harvest experienced a 22 percent drop in cash donations in September over a year ago, and its warehouse is 75 percent full, contrasted with 100 percent at the same time last year, said spokeswoman Claire Tuohy-Morgan. Yet the organization has seen a 3,000-household increase over the last year at its Cherry Street food bank alone.

Donations to Union Gospel Mission fell by 42 percent in September, and the estimated $250,000 deficit has not been recovered, said Sharon Thomas-Hearns, mission spokeswoman. The shortfall equals 136,612 meals, she said.

At the same time, the organization has experienced a 13 percent increase in demand for meals over last year, said Herb Pfiffner, Union Gospel Mission executive director.

"It is great what we have done as a nation to rally during crisis situations, but in the process, we cannot forget our local communities," Pfiffner said. "The homeless continue to be here. The high cost of living here means a lot of people struggle. We need to continue to reach out and touch those lives."

WHERE TO GIVE

Mercy Corps: Phone: 800-852-2100; Web site: www.mercycorps.org

World Vision: Phone: 888-511-6548; Web site: www.worldvision.org

Northwest Harvest: Phone: 206-625-0755 or 800-722-6924; Web site: www.northwestharvest.org

Salvation Army: Phone: 800-SAL-ARMY; Web site: www.nwarmy.org

Toys for Tots: Phone: 206-762-2229; Web site: www.toys4tots.org/howhelp.htm For a list of drop-off locations: www.toys4tots.org/drop.htm

Union Gospel Mission: Phone: 206-723-0767; Web site: www.ugm.org/HelpFinancial

Donations.aspv. Donations can be dropped off at the warehouse, 3800 S. Othello St., Seattle. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

This report includes information from The Associated Press. P-I reporter Debera Carlton Harrell can be reached at 206-448-8326 or deberaharrell@seattlepi.com.

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