DelawarePolitics.net

Designated Campaign Charities:

By Scott R. Spencer

Democratic Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives

With Thanksgiving and the giving spirit of the holiday season upon us, many of us take this time of year to reflect on the needs of our fellow citizens. Many respond to those needs by donating gifts, food, money and taking the time to serve others. But the devastating reality is that in the midst of these challenging economic times some of last year’s donors have become this year’s citizens in need.

Across the nation, charities are being squeezed by the economic recession as donations fall while the need for services goes up. According to the Giving USA Foundation, declines in individual and corporate giving have resulted in an inflation adjusted drop of 5.7% in donations. This is the largest drop in donations since non-profit and charitable giving began to be tracked over a half-a-century ago.

Social service charities have suffered the greatest decline in donations with a 12.7% drop and are struggling with staff lay-offs and service cuts in the face of increasing demand from families hard hit by job loss, hunger and homelessness.

Beyond the statistics is the harsh reality that men, women and children in our neighborhoods, our state and across the nation need real solutions, right now to reverse the decline in charitable donations and services.

Another day of hunger, another night of homelessness, another week out of work cannot await the promise of politicians to fix the economy while political campaign financing machines continue to raise exorbitant amounts of money at rates that non-profits and charities can only dream of. In these harsh economic times, the harsh economic reality is that the continued growth in political campaign contributions comes at a time when non-profits struggle with a decline in contributions from individuals and corporations. With over $2 billion raised in non-presidential campaigns nationwide in 2008, it is time to confront this distorted economic reality by redefining politics and redefining public service so that political fundraising efforts can provide a helping hand for those most in need.

Political candidates can provide an important new source of financing and visibility for charities by naming a designated campaign charity to receive 10% of their campaign contributions. I’d like to encourage a new political tradition in Delaware and in the nation by naming the Food Bank of Delaware as the designated campaign charity to receive 10% of the funds raised during my congressional campaign. In doing so it is important to note that the Food Bank of Delaware does not endorse or otherwise support my candidacy or any other candidate’s run for office.

I am encouraging the other declared candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate and other statewide races to join me in establishing a new political tradition by selecting the Food Bank of Delaware or another charity of their choice as a designated campaign charity to receive a 10% share of their campaign fundraising. In political races that are often defined by the amount of campaign donations, designated campaign charities will guarantee a winning way to support charities serving those with the greatness needs in our communities.

Scott R. Spencer is a resident of Wilmington who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives. For more information please go to www.SpencerforthePeople.com. Mr. Spencer can be contacted at scotty@spencerforthepeople.com.

This is part of the series of guest opinions from candidates for Congress.