Category: Q&A

Charitable giving for the holiday season

Melinda Mosier, director of donor services at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, talked about charitable giving and how you can support New Hampshire’s nonprofits this holiday season and year-round.

What are some of the biggest needs in the state right now? 

The ongoing pandemic and its effects mean that basic needs are even more acute — food, housing, health care and child care. The pandemic has taken a huge toll on children and youth, and put many kids and families into crisis, so programs that provide mentoring, after-school care and mental health care for children really need help. Organizations that support dialogue and protect civil rights, democracy and racial justice are playing a critical role for our communities and are in need of support.

With so many different areas of need, how does someone decide on a cause to support?

Consider the areas of greatest needs in the state and think about where you most want to help, then select … based on your priorities.

Once they’ve narrowed that down, how do they find local organizations to give to? 

When you have identified priority areas for your giving, it becomes easier to identify and connect with the nonprofits doing great work on those issues in New Hampshire and likely right in your own backyard — the local food pantry, an after-school program or performing arts center, or a local conservation group. Visit their websites to learn more.

Why should someone donate to a local organization versus a national one?

Both are worthy of charitable gifts, of course, but if you give to the local chapter, your dollars will circulate locally and have more of a local impact, improving the well-being of New Hampshire residents and boosting the local economy. It’s the same principle as buying local.

How do charitable organizations typically use donations? 

If you believe in what your local food pantry is doing, or in the mission of your local art museum or homeless shelter, give to support its whole mission rather than restricting your donation for a specific project or purpose. A food pantry needs food, of course, but it also needs to keep the electricity running. … An art museum needs a building, and it also needs programming to bring art … into the community. A homeless shelter needs warm blankets, of course, but it also needs staff, and hand sanitizer and masks to keep people safe. Unrestricted donations are most valuable because they can be put to use where they are most critically needed.

How important is the holiday season for local charities?

Nationally, about a third of all charitable giving happens in December, but nonprofits all over New Hampshire rely on generosity … all year round, and now, more than ever before, nonprofits need our help. We hope people will give as generously as they can this holiday season and all year long to help New Hampshire’s nonprofits … make our communities strong.

How can people maximize their giving?

Making larger gifts to fewer organizations allows you to have a greater impact on an area of critical work. … Consider consolidating, giving a higher-impact gift to one or two organizations. … If you run a company, consider matching employees’ year-end gifts. Matching gifts not only drives increased giving; it helps build a culture of giving in your business and camaraderie among your team. You can also choose a nonprofit that is doing work you care deeply about and ask people to give to it in your name as a gift [to you]. You could also consider making a gift to a nonprofit as a meaningful holiday gift for family and friends.

What are some ways that people can give other than monetary donations? 

Giving financial resources is critically important, and so is giving of your time and passion and expertise. Volunteer opportunities abound to give by doing. … Volunteernh.org has a search engine that can be filtered by region, issue, and even by family-friendly volunteer opportunities.

Featured photo: Melinda Mosier. Photo by Cheryl Senter.

Shop local this holiday season

Nancy Kyle, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Retail Association, talked about the current state of New Hampshire’s retail industry and how shopping locally benefits consumers, businesses and communities.

How are small businesses doing right now?

Retailers are actually doing fairly well. There’s been a real shift over the last five or 10 years to a trend of shopping locally … and people’s overall mindset of wanting to buy items that were grown or made in their own community. Interestingly enough, a lot of millennials actually prefer to shop in stores rather than online. … On Cyber Monday, which is supposed to be the biggest online shopping day of the year, the [sales] numbers this year were less than they were last year. The Thanksgiving holiday weekend had very good numbers of people out in the community and shopping.

Why do you think that is?

I think people just want to start going back out and shopping in stores. … Because of the times we’ve been in and the restrictions in place because of Covid, a lot of people haven’t been traveling as much; they haven’t been going to as many concerts; they haven’t been eating out as often; so they haven’t been spending as much money. I think there’s a pent-up demand, now, to go shopping, and to spend their money on the people in their lives who are important to them.

What changes and new business models born out of the pandemic are here to stay?

A big thing stores are doing now is having more outreach with their customers using Zoom. Local bookstores are a perfect example; they’re doing Zoom calls with authors who have new books coming out [as a way to] get people to come in [to the store] and buy the books. I know of some clothing stores that are having fashion shows on Zoom and social media to sell items. These are all new things; they weren’t happening before Covid. … Delivery, curbside pickup — all of that is here to stay, too. We’re all really busy, and it’s just really convenient when we can order something online and have it brought out to our car. That has only helped [local businesses’] cause and encouraged more people to want to shop local.

What are the perks of shopping locally for the consumer?

When you buy from a local business rather than ordering from [a seller] halfway across the country, you’re not going to have to deal with the shipping problems that a lot of us are seeing right now; you’ll get your things in a timely manner. … You’re getting very unique gifts that you probably wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else … and the quality of the goods is oftentimes better. … A lot of times you’re dealing directly with the owner of a store, so it’s a more personal experience. If you go into a store downtown looking for a specific item and they don’t have it, they’ll recommend somewhere else [locally] that you can get it.

How does shopping locally benefit the communities?

Because of our lack of a sales tax, retail is a cornerstone of the state’s economy and a really strong and vibrant part of our state. One out of every four people in the state is employed in some type of retail industry. … When you shop local, you’re putting your dollars into your community. You’re investing in people who are invested in your community. These small, local businesses are there for us — they’re the ones supporting your little league teams, supporting your kids in school when they’re selling candy bars — so it’s time for us to be there for them. … Last year was a challenging time for them, and with Covid numbers surging again, it will be challenging again … so let’s try to get out there and support them as much as we can.

How can consumers discover local businesses to support?

Look in your community. Search for [local businesses] on Facebook and social media. Walk around your downtown. A lot of towns also have special [event] weekends before Christmas with carolers and activities for kids and things to bring people downtown. Those community events are a great opportunity for people to walk in the doors of local businesses and support them.

Featured photo: Nancy Kyle. Courtesy photo.