LI charities see rise in donations in 2011

This year proved, if not a banner year, at least a respectable one for fundraising among some of Long Island's nonprofits, as donations have slowly begun to rise after several years of decline.

United Way of Long Island expects its workplace-giving program this year to post a greater increase than the 6 percent rise it saw from 2009 to 2010, and spokeswoman Julie Robinson-Tingue said even corporate donations seem to be up. "We're optimistic and hopeful that maybe we're turning a slight corner," she said.

Hauppauge food bank Long Island Cares reported a 20 percent increase from 2010 in proceeds from its Internet and direct mail campaigns, and a 4 percent increase in the amount of food donations -- an experience not shared by its Mineola counterpart, Island Harvest, which this month said it saw decreases in proceeds from its events and its direct mail campaigns.

The Long Island Alzheimer's Foundation in Port Washington has found that "some of the larger gifts aren't quite as large as they were in previous years," executive director Fred Jenny said.

Andrew Malekoff, executive director of the North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center in Roslyn Heights, said his organization hasn't tallied the response from its annual appeal, but it "looks like we're holding our own this year." Malekoff added, however, that corporate donations appeared to decrease slightly.

Other groups have seen significant increases, which an American Red Cross official explained by referring to the group's recent survey that found two-thirds of Americans believe it is important to give to charity during bad economic times.

Donations to nonprofits through the Long Island Community Foundation -- a Syosset-based group that invests money from larger donors and provides grants to charities -- have gone up from more than $6 million last year to nearly $10 million this year, said David M. Okorn, the group's executive director.

Giving to the American Red Cross on Long Island rose 72 percent over last year, said Sam Kille, regional spokesman for the group -- a "pleasant surprise" after years of decline, he said. But he cautioned that any increases should be seen in context.

"While it was an increase over last year, you have to remember that last year was a decrease from the year before," he said. "We're kind of, in a way, gaining ground that we lost."