Nonprofits Struggle for Holiday Donations

By Jonathan Shapiro

Atlanta, GA – 2009 will be remembered as a year of extraordinary demand for Atlanta's nonprofits.

Unfortunately, many of those nonprofits are still having trouble keeping up.

Atlanta's Toys for Tots program was looking to collect 900,000 toys this holiday season, a number that was to serve nearly a half million local kids.

The donation period is over now, and early reports indicate they collected only half their goal.

“To only ascertain 500,000 toys, that is disappointing to us and really sad to know that there's going to be some disappointed children this Christmas that we're not able to reach,” said Toys for Tots spokesperson Carolyn Salvador.

The Salvation Army's Red Kettle program is still $300,000 short of its goal of $1.6 million.

Area commander Major Jim Seiler says donations – any donations – are crucial this year.

“You don't have to listen to the radio, or watch TV, or read the newspaper very long to just realize how urgent the need is this year more than it's ever been,” he said.

Seiler is hopeful they'll reach their goal in these last few days before Christmas.

For WABE News, I'm Jonathan Shapiro.