Americans Demonstrate Year-End Generosity

CARE
Wednesday, 16 January 2002

CARE bounces back and braces itself in 2002

Just three months ago, donations dropped as much as 70 percent and alarm bells rang loud at CARE. July, August and September were tough, uncertain times for the Atlanta-based international humanitarian organization but according to Senior Vice President Marilyn Grist, the organization bounced back at year's end.

This is clearly a time when our work is urgently needed, and CARE was suffering from a huge decline in donations, says Grist. Beginning in October, new strategies were implemented, budgets were revised, fingers were crossed and all eyes shifted to the mailroom. But in the final three months of the year, our donors exceeded revised targets.

Every year, CARE works with millions of people living in the world's poorest communities, helping them create opportunities to work, go to school, and gain access to food, clean water and health care. In 2001, half the world's population survived on less than $2 a day.

We are witnessing how fragile and delicate the world is, and how important it is to protect it and its people, says Grist. Working together, we all can become worldwide problem solvers. Supporting international charities that focus on causes and solutions, not just symptoms, is one of the easiest ways to contribute.

Based on initial figures for the month of December, CARE ended up with 7 percent more than it raised in its 2000 campaign, nudging past the revised 2001 monthly unrestricted goal. Highlights include direct mail exceeding its monthly goal by 14 percent and online donations registering the second-best fundraising month in CARE history (after the Gujurat, India earthquake in January 2001).

Adds Grist: CARE's Board of Directors was with us every step of the way, increasing their personal donations by 40 percent. They also connected fundraisers to people interested in working with CARE to make a difference in the world.

Overall, from July to December 2001, CARE exceeded its revised unrestricted fundraising goal of $24 million by 14 percent.

Managing uncertainty in 2002

According to Grist, Even though we've come a long way since July, we are not yet out of the woods. We've got a long and uncertain road ahead of us this year and every dollar counts.

For more information, or to contact CARE, see their website at: www.care.org