The Daily Camera, Opinion,
November 30, 2003
 Boulder
Day Nursery was there for me 30 years ago when I needed
help.
I was a graduate student at the University of Colorado's
journalism school, recently divorced, mother of a 3-year-old
son, living in CU Family Housing, working at two part-time
jobs while a full-time student, short on funds.
A friend told me about Boulder Day Nursery. My son loved
it there, and based on my financial resources I paid
considerably less than the going rates for child care
at the time.
My son is in his thirties now but Boulder Day is still
going strong at 15th and Spruce streets, giving an affordable
child- care option to financially challenged parents
of small children.
The nursery is one of 11 agencies featured in this year's
Catalog for Giving.
A little girl named Aidyn, who's 2, is pictured on Page
8 of the booklet. She likes her teachers, the kids and
books and trains.
The 7 x 11-inch pamphlet tells how to help Boulder Day
Nursery, or the 10 other organizations featured. All
of them work with children and youth.
This is the second edition of the catalog, just one
of many good works done by the Community Foundation
serving Boulder County. Founded in 1991, it's headed
by Josie Heath, long a Boulder icon in politics and
now philanthropy.
When we talked recently on a get-reacquainted visit
to her office, Heath said the thriving social scene
surrounding nonprofit fund-raising in Boulder County
contrasts with the fact that Boulder's charitable giving
is on the low side, especially compared with income
levels here.
A May 1 report in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, a national
publication for nonprofits, looked at the charitable
giving of people who make $50,000 or more and itemized
on their 1997 tax returns.
According to that survey, Heath said, those Boulder
residents averaged $2,964 in charitable gifts, just
half as much as those in Denver, whose giving averaged
$6,094.
As part of its Culture of Giving campaign, the Foundation
surveyed a sample of Boulder residents in 2002 and 2003
about their charitable giving.
Gretchen Minekime of the Foundation believes the results
reveal definite trends:
48.5 percent say they can't afford
to give more money, up from 39 percent in 2002.
25 percent say they already support
too many charities, up from 12 percent in 2002.
45.5 percent say they volunteer their
time, up from 19 percent the previous year.
53 percent say they believe some charities
have high administrative costs, up from 33 percent the
previous year.
Whatever your feelings, a plethora of organizations
in Boulder County do wonderful things for our community.
One of them might support a cause close to your heart
that deserves your backing, financially or through a
gift of your time.
Take a look at the beautiful young faces in the Catalog
for Giving for some clues about how you can help them.
Or check the list of holiday giving opportunities at
web.dailycamera.com/giving. For a copy of the Catalog
for Giving, contact the Community Foundation Serving
Boulder County at 303-442-0436 or visit their Web site
at www.commfound.org.
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Sue Deans can be reached at deanss@dailycamera.com or
at 303-473-1330.
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