I don’t have to wait for the big-brained experts to tell me the economy is not in great shape and could be even worse than you know. All I have to do is spend 30-seconds talking with the big-hearted folks who work at the numerous charities in this town. Nearly everyone I’ve come to know and work with over the past four years are telling me this is one of the worst years in memory for bringing in the donations they desperately rely upon. I’ll give you two examples.

Ed Grenier of Junior Achievement of the National Capital Area gave me my first heads-up last summer. Their biggest event each year is their Business Hall of Fame Dinner every fall. This is an event that heaps praise upon leaders in the business community and recognizes them for lifetimes of work and civic contributions. You’d think that community would love to spend a little to pat themselves on the back and help kids in the process, wouldn’t you? Ed didn’t want to sound the alarms, but he told me months ago that corporate sources were drying up at a rate that foretold of harder times than maybe the press was reporting.

I’m hearing the same refrain from my friend Hillary Brendzel of the American Heart Association. Their 10^th anniversary Gala is on the 23^rd, and despite heroic efforts by the Association, they are finding that even the most reliable corporations are finding more “reasons” to cut back on charitable giving. That’s one reason why I’ll be there hosting the event at the Tyson’s Ritz Carlton. You can’t see the stories I do every day and not see how important it is to make possible for kids and families the health, educational guidance and social support they aren’t getting from their communities and elected government.

Profits, CEO pay and benefits are at record highs, exceeding comparisons to the Gilded Age fortunes some families amassed – and there’s not enough out there in these companies to give a kid a break? Would more tax cuts for those at the top turn this around? Gotta wonder….