Charity necessary during economic uncertainty

By Daniel Francavilla

Today, innocent children are dying due to poverty around the world – one every two seconds. Yet, on Black Friday, a Wal-Mart worker was trampled to death by consumers rushing to retail sales.

The impending financial disaster is creating a storm for non-profit organizations because donations are declining, while the need for help rises.

ShareLife, the Archdiocese of Toronto's charity, is one group stepping forward with programs responding to the increased social services demand.

“The Catholic organizations in the Archdiocese are very involved in helping the most needy,” explained Archbishop Collins. “I’m particularly aware of their great need of resources to help the poor in need. I encourage people in the Archdiocese to support them more than ever.”

Charities face the same stress as many companies, banks, and businesses. In difficult times, governments should support the crucial services that local non-profits provide otherwise.

The Vancouver Foundation is the largest of Canada’s 165 community foundations, and supports about 600 charities per year. President Faye Wightman explains that “many of these non-profits are the last stop for thousands people … who get hit by larger economic forces and find themselves teetering on the edge.”

Unfortunately while need increases, “these charities are hit with reduced donations, corporate sponsorships that dry up, and often reduced funding from government and even foundations,” says Wightman.

Despite today's economic uncertainty, there are organizations that continue to fund projects both locally and overseas. Long-term planning and new strategies can help organizations survive– because people all over the world still need at least as much aid now as they did in the past.

This situation should help people realize that current culture has skewed priorities. At the Conference on Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Waterloo this November, Marc Kielburger offered a simple yet challenging solution: “if we want to change Africa, we have to change North America”.

Perhaps with affluent people suffering financially, their empathy will trigger social change to benefit humanity worldwide.

Daniel Francavilla is currently a university student in Toronto at the Ontario College of Art + Design. From Brampton, Daniel founded a non-profit organization, ACCESS: Allowing Children a Chance at Education, and Speak Up for Change, a youth blog on poverty and education-related issues.

Originally Published on The Toronto Star's website on December 24th, 2008
www.thestar.com/News/globalvoices/junior/article/560146