From our Blog

Is Donor Fatigue Hurting the Chile Relief?

salvationarmy_chile_donorsThe 8.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated Chile comes on the heels of Haiti’s massive earthquake. Many Salvation Army centres report fewer phone calls are being received to support Chile’s tragedy, versus Haiti’s.

Chile isn’t getting the same attention as Haiti. In the first 48 hours after both earthquakes 2,596 news articles were written about Haiti, while 400 news articles were written about Chile.

The two countries are united in having deadly disasters. Will monetary donations increase as people begin to see more coverage of Chile and the human element involved?

Each is worthy of our compassion and help. Yet, in a time of economic stress are donors fatigued?

 

2 Responses

  1. Giving must come from the heart.Total satisfaction in giving is realized when you go beyond the ordinary and give until it hurts. Fatigue has nothing to do with it.Like planting good seed – there is a greater harvest. I love to give sacrifically.

  2. I agree completely.

    I work for a Salvation Army office, and the week following the disaster in Haiti, we were overrun with people making donations to the relief effort. In fact, we collected over $24 000–including one $10 000 cheque–for the cause.

    Since the Chile earthquake…nothing. Not a single donation has come in and I believe that people opened their cheque books and tightened their belts to support the relief efforts in Haiti, but are unable to do so again. Their need to help was met, and they don’t feel the same urgency to help again so soon.

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