With cutbacks looming, some camps may go including the only special needs camp

[zstyles]

Like every year for the past 10 years, Susan Stephens received a letter early in the year about upcoming summer day camps.

This is for the DDA Camp (special needs) from Tulsa Parks that has been cut from the budget for this year.  The article is linked below.  It is the only camp that was cut.

It was also the only camp available in Tulsa specifically for special needs kiddos.

596-2100

Feel free to call and complain. They will ask your name and address as well as a contact phone number.  I don’t know if suburbs count or if you have to have a Tulsa address.

Either way, they should log your call. Then they will take notes of your complaint.

[Gaspar]

That's unfortunate.  And many of the foundations that leverage their tax burden through giving programs will be less active for groups like this to take advantage of next year.

With the reduction in the charitable deduction for 2010, many private and public organizations will be in big trouble.  The deduction is scheduled to drop to 28% from 35%, or $3.87 billion dollars.  We shouldn't see a change in middle class or lower class giving, but they only make up for a tiny percentage of  charitable contributions.  The upper income households are expected to reduce giving by 4.8% according to Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Goodwill, Tulsa Opera, The Ballet, all of our local passions that rely on monetary gifts, from supportive wealthy benefactors will get hit hard.  Nationally we may see the death or dilution of many of our favorite causes.  It's really a shame, because $100,000 given to a charity by a wealthy benefactor never touches the hands of government so only a small portion of that money goes to administrative expenses, but the same $100,000 passing through government to an organization can lose up to 90% of it's value. 

It's rather backwards to discourage charitable giving in tough economic times.

I wonder who will survive?

AARP Foundation
ACCION International
Action Against Hunger
Adopt America Network
Adopt-A-Classroom
Adoption Exchange
Advancing Native Missions
Adventist Development and Relief Agency International
African Medical and Research Foundation
African Wildlife Foundation
Africare
Agros International
Aidmatrix Foundation, Inc.
Alaska Conservation Foundation
Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy
Alpha-1 Foundation
ALS Association
ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Alzheimer's Association
Alzheimer's Foundation of America
American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
American Brain Tumor Association
American Cancer Society
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
American Diabetes Association
American Farmland Trust
American Forests
American Foundation for Children with AIDS
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
American Foundation for the Blind
American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam
American Friends Service Committee
American Health Assistance Foundation
American Heart Association
American Humane Association
American Indian College Fund
American Institute for Cancer Research
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
American Jewish World Service
American Leprosy Missions
American Lung Association
American Near East Refugee Aid
American Printing House for the Blind
American Red Cross
American Refugee Committee
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
American Tinnitus Association
AmeriCares Foundation, Inc.
Amnesty International of the USA
Animal Legal Defense Fund
Animal Rescue Foundation
Animal Welfare Institute
Appalachia Service Project
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Archaeological Conservancy
Arthritis Foundation
Association on American Indian Affairs
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Autism Society of America
Autism Speaks
Believe in Tomorrow National Children's Foundation
Bible League
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Born Free USA, United with Animal Protection Institute
Box Project, The
Boy Scouts of America
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Bread for the World Institute
Breast Cancer Fund
Breast Cancer Network of Strength
Brother's Brother Foundation
Cancer Research Institute
CancerCare
Canine Companions for Independence
Carcinoid Cancer Foundation
CARE USA
CaringBridge
Carter Center, Inc.
Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Relief Services
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Center for Victims of Torture
Center for Watershed Protection
Child Family Health International
Childcare Worldwide
Children & Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Children International
Children of God Relief Fund (Nyumbani USA)
Children of the Night
Children, Incorporated
Children's Brain Tumor Foundation
Children's Cancer Research Fund
Children's Defense Fund
Children's Miracle Network
Children's Organ Transplant Association
Children's Tumor Foundation
Chimes International Limited
Christian Appalachian Project
Christian Children's Fund
Christian Foundation for Children and Aging
Christian Record Services for the Blind
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee
Christian Relief Services Charities
Church World Service
Community Health Charities
Compassion International
Concern Worldwide US
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
Cross International
Cross-Cultural Solutions
Curamericas Global
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation
Direct Relief International
Disabled American Veterans
Do Something
Ducks Unlimited
E+Co
Earth Share
Earthjustice
Easter Seals
Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee
Environmental Defense
Epilepsy Foundation
Episcopal Relief and Development
Every Child Ministries
Federation for American Immigration Reform
Feed The Children
Feeding America
FightSMA
First Book
First Candle/SIDS Alliance
Fistula Foundation
Fonkoze USA
Food Animal Concerns Trust
Food for the Hungry
Food for the Poor
Foundation Fighting Blindness
Foundation for AIDS Research
Freedom from Hunger
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Orphans
Friends of the World Food Program
Friendship Bridge
From the Top
Fuller Center for Housing
Gifts In Kind International
Girl Scouts of the USA
Girls Incorporated
Give Kids The World
Give2TheTroops
Glaucoma Research Foundation
Global AIDS Alliance
Global Fund for Children
Global Hunger Project
Global Impact
Global Operations and Development
Global Partnerships
Goodwill Industries International
Grameen Foundation
Greenpeace Fund
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Guttmacher Institute
Habitat for Humanity International
Heifer Project International
Helen Keller International
Help the Afghan Children
Heritage Foundation
Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation
Human Rights Watch
I Do Foundation
I Have A Dream Foundation
International Eye Foundation
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
International Fund for Animal Welfare
International Justice Mission
International Medical Corps
International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region
International Rescue Committee
JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement)
Jane Goodall Insitute for Wildlife, Research, Education & Conservation
JBI International
Jewish National Fund
Junior Blind of America
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
KaBOOM!
Kidney Cancer Association
Kids in Distressed Situations
La Leche League International
Lance Armstrong Foundation
Legal Momentum
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Love146
Lupus Foundation of America
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
Lutheran World Relief
Make-A-Wish Foundation of America
MAP International
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
Meals on Wheels Association of America
Medical Teams International
Mercy Corps
Mercy Ministries of America
Mercy Ships
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
Modest Needs Foundation
Morris Animal Foundation
MPD Foundation
Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
Multiple Sclerosis Association of America
Muscular Dystrophy Association
My Stuff Bags Foundation
Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America
NAMI
National 4-H Council
National Abortion Federation
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
National Alopecia Areata Foundation
National Anti-Vivisection Society
National Arbor Day Foundation
National Audubon Society
National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund
National Center for Family Literacy
National Center for Learning Disabilities
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
National Childhood Cancer Foundation
National Children's Cancer Society
National Coalition Against Censorship
National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families
National Credit Union Foundation
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation
National Down Syndrome Society
National Federation of the Blind
National Foundation for Cancer Research
National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship to Handicapped and Disadvantaged Youths
National Foundation for Transplants
National Kidney Foundation
National Military Family Association
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
National Osteoporosis Foundation
National Philanthropic Trust
National Psoriasis Foundation
National Sleep Foundation
National Transplant Assistance Fund
National Urban League
National Wildlife Federation
National Women’s Health Network
Native American Rights Fund
Natural Resources Defense Council
Nature Conservancy
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries
Near East Foundation
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation
Network for Good
New Israel Fund
Nonviolent Peaceforce
North American Riding for the Handicapped Association
NumbersUSA Education and Research Foundation
Obsessive Compulsive Foundation
Ocean Conservancy
Oceana
Open Doors with Brother Andrew
Operation Homefront
Operation USA
Oprah's Angel Network
Organization for Autism Research
Orphan Helpers
Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation
Our Military Kids
Outreach International
Ovarian Cancer Research Fund
Oxfam America
Pajama Program
PanCAN Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Parent Project for Muscular Dystrophy Research
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Parkinson's Disease Foundation
Partnership for a Drug-Free America
Partnership Project
Pathfinder International
PCI-Media Impact
Pearl S. Buck International
Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation
Pesticide Action Network North America
PetSmart Charities
Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors
Physicians for Peace Foundation
PKD Foundation
Plan USA
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Population Institute
Prem Rawat Foundation
Prevent Blindness America
Prevent Cancer Foundation
Prevent Child Abuse America
Primate Rescue Center
Prison Fellowship Ministries
Progressive Agriculture Foundation
Project Concern International
Project HOPE - The People-to-People Health Foundation
ProLiteracy Worldwide
Prostate Cancer Foundation
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Rainforest Action Network
Rainforest Alliance
Reading Is Fundamental
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Educational Fund
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Room to Read
Rotary Foundation of Rotary International
Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation
Save the Children Federation
Scholarship America
Scleroderma Foundation
Seacology
Seeing Eye, The
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
Seva Foundation
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States
Sierra Club Foundation
Smile Train
Society of St. Vincent De Paul USA
SOS Children's Villages-USA
Stand for Children Leadership Center
Starlight Children's Foundation
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Task Force for Child Survival and Development
TechnoServe
Trees, Water and People
Trickle Up Program
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
United Animal Nations
United Jewish Communities
United Negro College Fund
United States Association for UNHCR
United States Fund for UNICEF
United Way of America
USO
Variety – The Children’s Charity of the United States
VHL Family Alliance
Volunteers of America
Warm Blankets Childrens Foundation
WaterAid America, Inc.
WaterPartners International
Wellstone Action Fund
Wheat Ridge Ministries
Wilderness Society
Women's Funding Network
Women's Sports Foundation
World Emergency Relief
World Jewish Congress American Section
World Neighbors
World Relief Corporation of National Association of Evangelicals
World Vision
World Vision
World Wildlife Fund
Wounded Warrior Project
Yosemite Fund

[tshane250]

And now this

National service bill to get Obama's signature. . .

It's all part of a $5.7 billion national service bill President Barack Obama is scheduled to sign Tuesday to foster and fulfill people's desire to make a difference, such as by mentoring children, cleaning up parks or building and weatherizing homes for the poor.

Bolstering voluntary public service programs has been a priority of Obama, who credits his work as a community organizer in his early 20s for giving him direction in life.

The White House said Monday that the president "will call on people across the country to serve their communities and work together to tackle the nation's tough challenges." . . .

The legislation provides for gradually increasing the size of AmeriCorps to 250,000 enrollees from its current 75,000. It outlines five broad categories where people can direct their service: helping the poor, improving education, encouraging energy efficiency, strengthening access to health care and assisting veterans. . .

Some Republicans complain it is too costly and is an unnecessary intrusion by government into something Americans already do eagerly and in great numbers — helping their neighbors and communities.

  Exactly

[rwarn17588]

And now this
  Exactly

And so having greater numbers of people helping residents and communities is a bad thing?

Having been on a few nonprofit boards in my time, you gratefully take any sort of help that's available.

Sorry, but I don't see a down side here.

[Hoss]

And so having greater numbers of people helping residents and communities is a bad thing?

Only to some republicans, evidently.

[tshane250]

And so having greater numbers of people helping residents and communities is a bad thing?

No, my point was simply to question why you would cut off at the knee those organizations whose very existence is to help residents and communities - using volunteers who do so willing, and then turn around and advance government run programs that do the same thing.  I just think these types of things are better run by the private/non-profit sector.  I am not saying more help is bad.