Usually, the Wyoming Community Foundation uses press releases to communicate with media outlets. However, when we wanted to encourage giving this holiday season, we opted for a letter to the editor, which we mailed to each newspaper in Wyoming. By using this personal approach, we were allowed to inject our piece with more opinion, whereas the traditional press release tends to rely on plain facts. Plus, we hoped that by personally mailing a hand-signed letter to the editor of each paper, that we would have a higher publish rate.

This is the letter we sent to encourage readers to give to charities and families that are struggling during the economic downturn:

Dear Editor,

Over 10 percent of Wyoming’s families live in poverty, according to the US Census Bureau. Worse, more than 20 percent of our state’s children are impoverished.

These statistics are alarming, and the situation is only getting more difficult with the state of our national economy. Charities and nonprofit organizations around Wyoming and across the country have reported a drop in donations for this year compared to last year, while also reporting an increase in requests for help. Further, charities do not expect to raise as many much-needed year-end donations as they have in the past. These factors have combined to preclude charities from fulfilling all the requests for aid and may continue to have this effect for some time.

Gas and electric costs are on the rise; fuel costs were high for most of the year, which led to higher prices for food; job layoffs have been rampant; the dollar is not as strong as it once was. In many Wyoming communities, housing shortages have caused rents to jump. These problems and more have limited many families’ budgets, and the financial situation is nearly impossible for those living below the middle class.

Wyoming families and the charities that help them greatly need everyone’s support this year. As the President of the Wyoming Community Foundation, an organization that is a leader for the state’s nonprofit organizations, I would like to encourage people to give. A donation of any size makes a difference, whether it be a quarter dropped in a Salvation Army red kettle, $100 to provide food and gifts to a needy family for the holidays, or more. I encourage both our state’s private foundations as well as individuals to give to those charities that provide “food and fuel,” meaning organizations that help families meet immediate needs, such as the need for housing, clothing, food, and transportation.

Many of us are fortunate to have more than enough money to provide for our own needs, and I greatly encourage you to share that blessing with our neighbors who are not, both during this holiday season and throughout next year.

Sincerely,
George H. Gault
President, Wyoming Community Foundation
Laramie, Wyo.