The Newhouse shelter in Kansas City has helped thousands of abused women and their children over the past 37 years. But last month, the women were forced to move out and the staff started looking for new jobs. The reason was simple. While the need was there, the money was not. Dwindling charitable contributions tied to a broad U.S. economic slowdown mean fewer resources and hard choices for charities across the country.
"People are holding tight to their money," said Newhouse President Leslie Caplan, who estimated charitable contributions were down ＄200,000 this year compared to last year. That, combined with cuts in government grants, has severely squeezed the center’s ＄1.3 million budget.
As Americans struggling with rising unemployment and home foreclosures turn to charities for help, charities themselves are running into financial difficulties as donations dwindle. They are being forced to increase their outreach, hold more fund-raising events and seek out new donors to make ends meet. "The people who used to give us small amounts, $10 or $15, that is going away. The people who have a lot of money still are able to give, but they are more selective in their giving," McIntyre said. "It’s getting bad out there. "
Philanthropic Giving Index, which measures prospects for charitable donations, has dropped to 83 on a scale of 100 from 88 in December 2007, its lowest point since 2003. Rev. Cecil Williams noticed that donations to Glide Memorial United Methodist Church in San Francisco began falling off earlier this year, forcing him to cut meals, child care, and health care to the poor by up to 15 percent. Meanwhile, the lines for help grow longer.
Melissa Perez of La Habra, California, hosted a Brazilian student last year under the auspices of the Center for Cultural Interchange, a Chicago-based nonprofit that arranges for families to house and feed foreign students. "Everything’s hard. We’re very much pinched," said Perez, who cannot afford to do it again this year because her family’s manufacturing business is in trouble. Such experiences mean the Center for Cultural Interchange has not been able to find enough volunteers.
"Business is not as good and they feel the pressure and that leads to a decline in giving," said Bridges board member Inayat Malik. "How much people give depends on’ how secure they feel," Berman said. "I think we’ll see an impact on personal giving this fall and winter, which is when most charitable organizations depend on generosity.
The word "dwindle" most probably means（）
A. to decline
B. to increase
C. to stop
D. to remain