Fear grips donors to charity

February 19, 2008
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Wheeler Mission Ministries broke the unsettling news yesterday that it is laying off 13 staff and shifting its ministries for youth and families to another charity in order to minimize an anticipated operating deficit.

Why? Donors are worried about the economy, a veteran Wheeler fund raiser said. Layered on top of recession jitters is the concern normally experienced during presidential election years.

What do you think? Are you giving less to charities?
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  • ChrisFebruary 19, 2008 9:07 AM
    I'm actually giving more to charities now. At the end of the year, as I began to think about my goals, I realized that one of the things I wanted to do was give more to charities outside of church. I've always tithed and will continue to do so, but realized I needed to use my offering (the amount over and above my tithe) to help those in need. The biggest struggle is to determine where to give. If you're not careful you can end up with paralysis by analysis. Right now I'm giving to Wheeler Mission, Campus Crusade, and I'm also doing some giving on donorschoose.org (very cool site - teachers post projects they'd like to fund in their classrooms and donors choose projects to fund - check it out). Ultimately I think I want to focus my giving on education and job creation, since these have such huge downstream impacts. I challenge everyone reading this to pick a charity and donate today. It feels good, and I believe it's what we're called to do, to help others. You'll find that if you are intentional about giving, you'll view your discretionary expenditures in a different light. It's a beautiful thing.
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  • CrossedWiresFebruary 20, 2008 12:42 PM
    Is the Star article just a vehicle to pander for more donations? If so, then I would like to see some accountability on Wheelers part. They have never publicly shown their books, and they have the right not too if they desire. As a result of this, they pass on grants that they are eligible for fear of showing their books. My point being is how much is their admin. overhead? Is it 5%,10%, 20%, or 50%? All are possibilities, but no one knows. Asking for money if their admin. overhead is over 20% is inconceivable to me. Seems they were flush with money several years ago, when they bought the adjoining building on Delaware, the building on Michigan and just recently the Lighthouse Mission on Market Street, whose property should be worth a sizeable chunk. As with all donations, one should look into where the money goes, and how it is used.
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  1. So the Mayor adds another non value added layer to having a vehicle towed? Whereby the City Government RECIEVES AN ILLEGAL KICKBACK FROM A LGOISTICS COMPANY THAT SUBS THE WORK TO LOCAL TOW COMPANIES? What is the service the City performs for receiving the "tribute"? This is RICO!!!!! What a corrupt and unnecessary layer. What a dirtbag Mayor and his cronies.

  2. Owner occupied housing. Clear enough?

  3. So people think I am paranoid. It's from experience in dealing with puds requested by developers who make major donations themselves to representatives, have nice fund raisers for those running for office and hide through pac's. then there are the public relation firms. You will note some pr comments below. You there Clyde Lee? My opinion. Commercial along 421, great. Multifamily housing, terrible idea that will change the town. Senior condos or zero lot line homes west, great. I suggest keeping all entries to commercial areas at 421. All entries to owner occupied on sycamore. Will keep the traffic on sycamore down some. Two other things. You can't trust what will be there in 10 years. Steve builds quality stuff, but areas change over time. Look at the changes at the wall mart center at 86th and 421 over the last 10 years. Look at the apartments and neighborhoods behind St Vincent's. Raintree properties WILL decrease in value if commercial and multifamily goes in near. It has already been happening around the bridges area. The houses that have been sold recently are way below market. Several deals not closed due to the Illinois construction and the whole unsurety of the bridges. It's pretty simple, Zionsville will approve the whole thing because the city council has been groomed over a LONG period of time for this. I might even suggest some are in their position as a result of this.

  4. Esta, do you have a dog in this fight? You seem to really want to knock anyone against this project. No, I didn't move to Indiana for the architecture. I moved here for that red barn in the field. The horses and fields of corn. A place that is NOT overdeveloped. There are plenty of nearby places in Indianapolis that could be REDEVELOPED instead.

  5. RKW - OK, we get it, you're paranoid. The question is, are you paranoid enough? Greg - Yes, Pittman(s) is (are) at it again. They are developers, they build things. It's what they do. So when you go to work tomorrow, Greg, you're at it again too. Cliff - Really? You moved to Indiana for its progressive architecture? That's like moving to England for the cuisine. Zionsvillain - The house you moved to was once a field or woods. I'm willing to bet folks were upset when that ground was plowed under and a house was built. But I guess now that you are in, everything should stop? "My house was OK, but the next one is sprawl." SE Guy - Please don't paint us with such a wide brush. Most reasonable Zionsville residents welcome planned, measured development.

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