Gas prices dry up volunteer drivers(Charities struggle...)

[RedEarth]

High gas prices are pinching the pocketbooks of charities and other organizations that need drivers to do their good deeds.

"We used to just be able to put an ad in a church paper or on our cable show and people would respond," said Mary DiManno, supervisor of the Farmington Hills senior division, which operates a meals on wheels program to deliver food to senior citizens. "Now, it's like no one is responding. The gas is almost as expensive as their time."

Unlike some other communities, Farmington Hills does not reimburse drivers for mileage. The volunteers can deduct the miles from their taxes, but the IRS allows only a 14-cent per mile deduction for charitable miles, compared with 40.5-cents for business miles. Many of the volunteers who have been with that program for years have stuck with it, but new blood is hard to find, DiManno said.

Her program is not the only one attempting to cope with the impact of higher gasoline prices. All across Metro Detroit, organizations that depend on volunteer drivers are paying more for mileage reimbursement, struggling to find volunteers, or changing the way they do business in an attempt to save money.

"Some days, I have to drive three or four routes and that's just too much for me," said Dean Eggart, 76, of Troy, a volunteer for the Oakland County Meals on Wheels program

http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0503/31/B01-134913.htm

[phantom power]

1. But they were the Armies of Compassion!

The Armies of Compassion were supposed to replace government services!

[NC_Nurse]

2. Maybe they can recruit some of the protestors

from Pinella Pines....they drove ALL the way to FL to moan and groan. Surely they can spend less money to "minister" to the living?

[mhr]

3. But, Didn't Bush Give Billions To Charity - That's A Lot Of Gas Money

eom

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. Isn't something backwards here?

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.
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"the IRS allows only a 14-cent per mile deduction for charitable miles, compared with 40.5-cents for business miles"

so

people that are driving around for little or NO pay helping people, have to pay MORE taxes than those making money while they are at it??

quite the gov't y'all got down there . .

[MissMarple]

6. Makes you wonder what possible rationale they have for that.

How did THAT come to happen? It should at the very least be the same deduction, if not more for charitable mileage. Our government is sooooo..compassionate. :eyes:

on edit. So... spellcheck didn't catch my misspelling of compassionate. Oh, dear what else hasn't it caught?

[UpInArms]

5. they must be advertising in the "libral" media

and that's why they can't get drivers! They should run their ads on the Clear Channel stations along with the Lump Rimshaw program :evilgrin: