Eva's Village Cites Holiday and End of Year Donations as Critical to Meeting its Fundraising Goals
Paterson, New Jersey (PRWEB) November 18, 2013 -- At Eva's Village, a comprehensive anti-poverty organization in Paterson, New Jersey, holiday appeals (Thanksgiving and Christmas) account for more than 40% of their yearly donations from such appeals throughout the year. This year their appeal donations are already down by 15% from last year, so it is important that the end of year giving appeals don’t continue with this same trend.
During the holiday season and toward the end of the calendar year, donations to a charitable organization increase dramatically compared to the rest of the year. Many people want to show appreciation during the holiday season and as the year comes to a close, and research has shown that as much as 50 percent of charitable donations are made between Thanksgiving and Christmas. "It is a time of year when people feel particularly generous and caring and making charitable donations is ever-present in many people’s minds; the holidays simply bring out the best in us" says Ms. Fico, director of marketing & education at Eva’s Village.
Eva’s Village, like many nonprofit organizations, counts on the holiday season to boost their donations and help them meet their fundraising goals. They also count on end of year donations to boost their holiday season fundraising. Ms. Fico relates that while donors are generous throughout the year, many wait until the end of the year to make their donations. “This year we are not seeing as many end of year donations especially donations made through our website,” she noted.
Donors looking for holiday and end of year charitable giving opportunities should do their research to make sure the charity is both reputable and qualified. To make sure your charitable dollars will be used as you expect, do some research. Make sure at least 75% of your donation is used directly for services. All charities have fund raising and administrative expenses, but ideally no more than 25% of donations should be supporting those aspects of the charity. For example, only about 13.5% of all donations at Eva's village go towards administrative & fundraising expenses. Eva’s Village holds a seventh consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator (http://www.charitynavigator.org/). Ken Berger, President & Chief Executive Officer, Charity Navigator says, “This “exceptional” designation from Charity Navigator differentiates Eva’s Village from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust.”
Originally a New Jersey soup kitchen, Eva’s Village was founded in 1982 by Msgr. Vincent E. Puma in response to the increasing incidence of homelessness in Paterson, NJ. But Msgr. Puma soon realized that another New Jersey soup kitchen was not enough. With the generous support of thousands of donors and private and government grants, Eva’s Village has grown into the most comprehensive anti-poverty program in New Jersey, providing food, shelter, recovery programs, free medical and dental care and transitional and affordable housing, plus opportunities for education, job counseling and more.
To donate to this NJ Charity, or for more information about Eva’s Village, call (973)-523-6220, go to http://www.evasvillage.org or write to: Donna Fico, Director of Marketing & Education, Eva’s Village, 393 Main Street, Paterson, NJ, 07501.
Joanne, Fagan, Eva's Village, 973-523-6220 Ext: 228, [email protected]
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