Charitable Donations Down For Utility Programs

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Officials with charities in Oklahoma say they're seeing a sharp drop in donations during the holiday season.

Salvation Army spokeswoman Heidi Brandes says the lack of money will mean Oklahomans who are behind on their utility bills are likely to be disconnected.

Brandes says the Salvation Army helped more than 3,000 families pay their electricity and natural gas bills in 2007 by using contributions collected by utilities

But only about 1,800 could be helped during the fiscal year that ended September 30.

And the agency has a goal of $975,000 in contributions to be collected by bell ringers and through the agency's direct mail appeal for donations.

As of Monday, the agency had collected less than $600,000.