Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 30, 1995 TAG: 9510300043
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported Sunday that the 400 nonprofit organizations in its annual survey received $22.4 billion, or about $1 of every $6 that were donated to charity nationwide.
The Salvation Army raised $726 million in 1994 from individuals, businesses and foundations, up from $683 million a year earlier.
The American Red Cross received $497 million and remained in second place for the second year in a row despite a 7 percent drop in donations.
Second Harvest, a national network of food banks, ranked third, with $425 million. Most of its donations were food and other grocery products.
The Chronicle said Red Cross officials attributed its decline in donations to the lack of any single major, dramatic natural disaster in the last two years to capture public attention.
``Although there have been an unprecedented 15 hurricanes and tropical storms this season ... none appears to have pierced the public consciousness enough to stimulate a wave of donations,'' it said.
Also, the Red Cross this year is experiencing the first budget deficit in its 111-year history. Officials contend the $60 million imbalance is temporary, the result of a costly restructuring of its biomedical-services division.
The Chronicle said community foundations saw the biggest rise in donations, a 29.2 percent increase. Public affairs groups posted a 14.8 percent gain.
Other increases included museums, 11.2 percent; universities, 10.6 percent; hospitals, 3.2 percent; other health charities, 5.1 percent; public broadcasting, 0.6 percent, and Jewish fund-raising groups, 0.3 percent.
``Only United Ways experienced a decrease, and the drop was small - less than 1 percent,'' the Chronicle reported.
by CNB