Vice mayor assists ailing nonprofits = Wish list released by official to offset decreases in funding and focus on natural disasters
By Christine Morente, STAFF WRITER
BURLINGAME You know what you want for Christmas, but do you know what San Mateo County's nonprofit groups need? Burlingame Vice Mayor Terry Nagel released on Wednesday the 2006 wish list for 23 community groups that need everything from office furniture and DVDs to shampoos and conditioners. Nagel is bringing back the list for its second year. She created it because the Burlingame City Council has had to cut its level of funding for local nonprofits in the last three years. For fiscal year 2005-2006, the city allocated $50,000 among community groups, said City Manager Jim Nantell. Nagel said she hopes to expand the list to include more county groups. There are more than 800 nonprofit organizations in the county. "They are often overlooked when major disasters occur, such as the tsunami and Hurricane Katrina," Nagel wrote in her letter. "Local groups need our help, too." Her next plan is to ask nonprofits to look through their resources and give what they don't need to another community group. Some have been doing well, despite the worry that people have forgotten their local charities after helping Hurricane Katrina victims.
"We're feeling OK, but we hope people haven't forgotten about us," Marsha Eddleman, director of development for Samaritan House in San Mateo, said. "That's been a concern. We won't know until the end of the year where we fall right now." Samaritan House needs gift certificates for teens. For Community Gatepath in Burlingame, items on the wish list have been coming in, said Lynn Nawahine, the group's director of development. They asked for microwave ovens and gift certificates to stores, salons and restaurants. Like Eddleman, Nawahine said "people haven't stopped giving," but is unsure of how much in donations Community Gatepath is going to get. Mission Hospice also has a wish list. It will be moving to a different office in San Mateo, and some of the items they need are a conference table with chairs, small and large filing cabinets, ergonomic office chairs and two modern sofas. Call Primrose Center needs toys and gift cards for teens and holiday food. Other groups are asking for different kinds of help, like designing a Web site or someone to knit afghans and baby clothes.
Nagel's list can be seen on her Web site at http://www.terrynagel.com.
Thank you Terry.
- Written by Fiona
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