Economic Downturn Hits Charities

Just about every sector of the economy and every household has been hit by the global economic downturn. But spare a thought for those who rely on charity to get by. The squeeze has spelt disaster for them too. Sara Merchant has more.

Just when some people are most in need, others have less to give. In these lean times, greater numbers are relying on charity. But donations are getting harder to raise. Judy Nord hopes her card-making will some day raise money for charity. Her cancer diagnosis forced her to give up paid work. And when she’s not receiving treatment in hospital, she is at home, often worrying about how to survive on benefits of less than 60 pounds a week. The cost of living has risen sharply. And for the first time in her life, she is dependent on help from family and from charity.

I saw a lot of people out there that really really do need that support. I wouldn’t have this roof over my head still, that, you know, that would have been gone, cause I just wouldn’t be able to afford the mortgage. I wouldn’t be able to afford the bills or anything. I don’t know. I don’t know where I’ll be.

Charities are being squeezed in two ways-- demand for their services has increased by 72% in the last twelve months, but almost a third have suffered falls in donations. That means many charities are having to cut costs by making staff redundant.

Gee, for the governments are bailing out the banks who have caused this problem, they need to think about the victims of recession and our work and therefore a financial package to support our work with the victims of recession is important.

Corporate donations from the city are dwindling, and falling property prices mean the value of legacies is diminishing. It means there’s more pressure on individuals to be generous.

Charity begins at home, I think, at the moment.

(I think we will.)

If we could afford it, we would donate it.

I think I would volunteer as well in different ways than probably just giving money.

I still give. You know, I give every month through like on direct debit, so now I don't get it affect me much at all.

As tougher times threaten, charities just can’t afford to keep losing.

Sara Merchant Sky News.

参考中文翻译：

经济体中的每一个部门和每一个家庭都受到经济低迷的冲击。但是想一下那些依靠慈善救济来生存的人。经济危机对他们也造成了巨大的灾难。Sara Merchant来报道详细内容。

当一些人最需要帮助的时候，其他人却没有什么可以给予的。在这个困难的时候，更多的人需要救济，却更难得到捐赠。Judy Nord希望有一天她能够募集到慈善资金。她身患癌症，不得不放弃带薪工作。不在医院接受治疗的时候，她待在家里，一直担心依靠每周60英镑怎么生存。生活成本急剧上升。在她生命中第一次，她要依靠家庭和慈善救济的帮助。

我看到许多人真的非常非常需要帮助。我也已经没有房子住了，你知道，房子会被收回的，因为我无力支付抵押贷款。我没钱支付账单和任何东西。我不知道，我不知道我今后该怎么办。

慈善机构两天之内就变得资金薄弱，对慈善救济的需求在过去的12个月里增加了72%，但是几乎三分之一的慈善机构受到的捐赠减少。这意味着许多慈善机构要通过减少员工来削减成本。

现在政府在拯救那些导致这些问题的银行，但是他们也需要考虑一下经济萧条的受害者，考虑一下我们的工作，然后出台一套财政方案来支持经济萧条的受害者，这是非常重要的。

该城市公司的捐赠减少，下降的财产价格意味这遗产的价值缩水。这导致个人面对这更大的压力，很难慷慨起来。

我认为，目前救济要从家庭内部开始。
（我认为我们会的。）

如果我们能可以支付的起，我们会捐赠的。

我认为我会通过各种不同的途径来帮助别人，而不一定只是给钱。

我现在仍然会捐赠。你知道，每个月我都直接通过借记卡捐钱，所以现在根本不会影响到我。

随着形势更加严峻，慈善救济款越来越少。