When the recession set in, social service charities were hit with a double dose of trouble: Demand for services increased dramatically while donations plummeted. That disparity is starting to even out now that a sustained economic recovery is underway — the U.S. has seen 57 straight months of job growth. Donations to charities reached a peak in 2007, before the recession kicked in, according to Giving USA, which tracks national charitable trends.
Effect of recession lingers for local charities
Though donations are up, nonprofits still struggle to meet rising demand