Louisville nonprofits seeing greater need this Giving Tuesday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales wrap up, a day of giving is set to begin.

Giving Tuesday is a critical day for many nonprofits. Across the board, many different types of charity groups will say their need is at an all time high. But for some, donations aren't necessarily keeping up with demand.

Higher living costs are keeping budgets tight, and its leaving some with less to give during the holidays.

Linette Lowe, executive director at Central Louisville Community Ministries — which offers financial assistance, food and clothes — said she has noticed less donations during a time of year when they typically get more community support.

"It's a little bit different this year," said Lowe. "We're getting that spread in the wrong direction, right? Where donations are maybe a little smaller, and need is a whole lot greater."

That's something plenty of other nonprofits, like Metro United Way, are also noticing this year.

"I have talked to a number of major gift donors that have said 'Sabeen, I probably won't be able to give the same level that I gave last year. You know, the market is not what it is and I'm not making as much,'" said Sabeen Nasim, chief development officer at Metro United Way.

It's a trend that is coming at a time when a lot of community groups are already stretched thinner than usual.

"I'll be honest with you, this year, our financial situation and community ministries has been unprecedented," Lowe said. "We have run through grant monies that we have never expended before, in August."

Kim Holsclaw said she has worked with Blessings in a Backpack's Louisville Chapter for seven years and has never seen a need so great. She said the group wants to raise $20,000 on Giving Tuesday in hopes of expanding the program, which ensures children who rely on school for their meals have food over the weekend.

"It takes $130 to feed a child for an entire school year," Holsclaw said. "So that $20,000 can go a long way, and hopefully it could help us maybe open a new program in a school that's been contacting us wanting our help."

Metro United Way's Giving Tuesday campaign is also focused on youth, "Getting Kids What They Need to Succeed."

But most groups agree, any donation, any time of year, can be a great help.

"Any amount helps. If you can give $1 a week, $1 a day, $1 a month, whatever you can give," Nasim said. "You know that act of kindness ... it's priceless."

Lowe believes people giving what they can is key to keeping groups like hers going.

"I think that that's how we all pull together and make sure that everybody in our community is cared for," Lowe said.

Metro United Way said volunteering is another good way to give back if someone is unable to give a monetary donation.

To donate to Metro United Way, click here.

To donate to the Louisville Chapter of Blessings in a Backpack, click here.

To donate to Central Louisville Community Ministries, click here.