The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THERE has been a “mass decrease” in Christmas donations at the Ranfurly Homes for Children this year, officials said yesterday.

Alexander Roberts, the Ranfurly Homes administrator, said donations this year are “worse than previous years”, adding that things were “much better” last year.

Although not providing The Tribune with numbers, he expressed strong doubt that donations will increase in time for Christmas Day.

Meanwhile, officials at non-profit organisation Hands For Hunger (H4H) said while donations to the group have been consistent throughout the year, the number of Christmas donations has “dwindled”.

Officials attributed this year’s decrease in donations during this holiday season to “tough” economic times in the country.

“There’s been a mass decrease this year,” Mr Roberts said. “This year is worse than previous years. Last year was much better. I hope that it will improve, but it’s just a hope.”

Meanwhile, officials at H4H explained that while the normal flow of donations has “dwindled a bit” this Christmas, an anonymous donor recently gave 30 turkeys and hams to the organisation for distribution to its various outreach agencies.

“I think we’re really grateful for the donors that we’ve had all year, and that’s been pretty consistent,” a H4H official said. “But the truth of the matter is around Christmas time is when things start to dwindle a little bit in terms of donations.

“So we do have a sense that everybody will have a happy holiday season. The general sense though is times just are tough around Nassau, and we see that.”

Earlier this month, Bahamas Red Cross Society Director General Caroline Turnquest revealed a noted increase in the number of people requesting assistance from the Red Cross Society in the past year, with as much as a 50 per cent spike in assistance for some programmes.

Mrs Turnquest said that categorically, officials have seen a shift in the ages of persons they help - moving from an elderly, gender balanced group to young single mothers, who are now increasingly turning to the organisation for assistance.

Mrs Turnquest added that due to an influx of the number of charities around the country, the Red Cross has seen a steady decline in donations in recent years. However, she said that the decline has only affected funds donated to assist the Red Cross’ operational expenses and day-to-day programmes.

She added that donations for the organisation’s “crisis response” have remained virtually unchanged.