I will keep giving

My wife works for a non-profit and expects gifts to be down this year. That's too bad. What makes the generosity to the Sept. 11 charities so remarkable is the above-and-beyond quality of it all. For me, all of that would be tarnished if local charities suffer. Remember there are wars against homelessness, hunger and disease being faught everyday in our very own neighborhoods.

As this year proceeds into the important holiday giving period, we will see if donors continue to support charites this year other than those related to the September 11 attacks. In an Independent Sector study released last week, many people said they would continue giving, but the wild card was the economy. Giving might be down because people are not feeling as flush as they were before. Sixty percent of respondents to our Kiplinger.com weekly poll said that they would skip all charitable giving this year. Doesn't bode well for those groups who need funds for ongoing needs. We'll all have to stay tuned. Ronnie Roha, Kiplinger's

Giving should come from the heart, not just for a tax break. What happened on 9-1-1 opened peoples heart because it was seen around the world. People often turn their head and hearts away from the homeless or the junkie because it makes THEM feel uncomfortable. We must remember that THESE are the people that Jesus came to seek and to save. Open your heart to some one today. An elderly man or woman, a shut in, or maybe the unruly child of a single parent If you are a christian you should be about the work of God.