Sky Harbor Chaplaincy may be feeling economic downturn
May 6th, 2008, 11:46 am · Post a Comment · posted by lawngriffiths
What faith community is not nervous over the downturn in the economy? The surge in the cost of gasoline, for example, causes families to reevaluate travel and whether they may cut down on their long drives to church once, twice or three times a week. Dare church leaders venture into new programs or building projects while the future remains so uncertain? Increased food costs drive down what families buy to donate to food banks, not to mention ramifications for ministries to the poor and homeless. Dream projects, staff pay raises and refunding programs are approached with hesitancy.
The Phoenix Sky Harbor Interfaith Chaplaincy’s spring newsletter laments that some of it steady and reliable givers aren’t sending donations. “As I look over the list of givers who made gifts in 2007, I notice that the names of several business, churches and other organizations that made donations in previous years are missing this time,” wrote Chaplain Al Young. “I personally value these connections.” Young noted that often he meets people, for the first time, who have been regular donors. “When I hear the name, I recognize it from among those that I see on gifts we have received,” he said. “It is a good feeling to meet a person who has been a supporter, sometimes for many years, and be able to talk with them about the ministry of care their gifts make possible.”
Recently the March of Dimes and American Lung Society recruited me from national offices to mail out letters to my end of the block, urging donations to be returned to me. I have done it before over the years with mixed results. Only a fraction of my neighbors ever respond, typically those living closest.
I remember a time when we did a pass-along envelope. Each household popped in a buck or two and delivered it to the next house until it made the rounds. There might be $15 or $20 inside the envelope. But these are different times, and the money can be easily “lost.” Who wants to confront a lazy or suspicious neighbor for $12 that seem missing? Sometimes when the response to mailed letters and a personal note has been poor, I just write a check for $20 or so. We aren’t asked to make direct follow-ups to our mailings to neighbors. With the flaws of the fund-raising method, I suspect the charities still do well – at least enough to keep following those procedures.
As for Sky Harbor Chaplaincy, its partners helped its 2007 income of $124,363 versus expenses of $115,491. It closed the year with $25,359 balance. Young and his roving ministry of 13 volunteers reported 1,726 volunteer hours. They gave help to 28,897 people who traveled through the airport.
Traveler assistance was given to 612 people in 376 cases. Among them were 157 “stranded” people, 54 homeless people and 205 related to domestic violence cases – women and children typically getting out of town to safer places.
The chapel, provided by Sky Harbor Chaplaincy in one of the terminals, had 10,550 drop-ins, with 463 attending Christian services on Sundays during the year, followed by 57 at Baha’i prayer. Some 13,083 prayer cards were given out. For more information, call Young at (602) 244-1346 or http://members.iinet.net.au/~holloway1.