donors chip in to help programs hurt by shutdown

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SHUTDOWN_PAY_IT_FORWARD?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-10-13-04-15-36


In this photo taken Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, Nia Sockwell holds her granddaughter, Heaven, 1, outside a housing unit at Our House, a nonprofit organization that provides childcare, shelter and other programs for working homeless people in Little Rock, Ark. People have been donating to the organization to fill in the gaps left by missing federal money caused by the partial government shutdown. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

***SNIP

Across the country, donors big and small are opening their wallets to help keep afloat programs that protect people in need as the government shutdown persists. A pair of Texas philanthropists pledged up to $10 million to help Head Start programs for poor children hurt by the shutdown. A university in New Hampshire decided to offer scholarships to active-duty military personnel whose tuition assistance has been switched off by the shutdown. And in Arkansas, people have been donating to Our House.

But those donations aren't enough to cover the federal funding tied up by the shutdown that began Oct. 1.

The National Head Start Association's executive director, Yasmina Vinci, said in a statement that angel investors "cannot possibly offer a sustainable solution to the funding crisis threatening thousands of our poorest children."

Our House in Little Rock initially asked for money and gift cards after the shutdown froze stipends for workers funded through the federal service program, AmeriCorps - lest those people helping the homeless become homeless themselves.

[dballance]

1. I Really glad this is happening - BUT

My HUGE fear is that this will turn out to be played as "well we don't need government funding because charities and people will pick up like they should - see." The fact that these people and charities are only able to provide temporary, short-term assistance and, in some cases, are only doing it upon promise of reimbursement will get lost.

[xchrom]

2. it can an used as narrative -- but as the article points out -- not enough money w/out govt.

now -- that wouldn't stop conservative from constructing the narrative that tax dollars should flow directly to charities.

[dballance]

3. I agree the article points it out. But that doesn't mean the "A/C is an ugly entitlement" folks will

report that part. They're notorious for picking and choosing their "facts."