Donors

PARIS -- Representatives from around the world endorsed the latest U.S.-backed Mideast peace initiative yesterday, pledging to support the crippled Palestinian economy at a crucial moment when its moderate leaders are engaged in peace talks with Israel. During a one-day conference, 90 nations and international organizations pledged to donate $7.4 billion to shore up the Palestinians, almost $2 billion more than Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had originally sought to prepare the area for statehood over the next three years.

Breezy Bishop started giving the day her grandmother showed her how to push aside some of the quarters she earned from scrubbing steps at age 7 and save them for church.Now the 63-year-old Owings Mills resident, a former basketball coach and teacher at Baltimore's Western High School for 28 years, plans to give forever.She sat down with family members and told them nearly all of her estate -- a teacher's savings invested wisely -- will go to establish scholarship programs at Western, Dunbar High School and possibly Morgan State University.

To prevent rationing, Red Cross Blood Services is seeking donations of Type O blood to replenish supplies in the Baltimore-Washington area.Supplies of blood began to dwindle last month when donor drives were canceled because of Hurricane Floyd.The Red Cross is asking people age 17 and older who are in good health and weigh at least 110 pounds to call 410-764-7000 to make an appointment to give blood.Pub Date: 10/13/99

UNITED WAY of Central Maryland is wrestling with a difficult situation. Even though it collected a record $39.4 million in 1998, donors designated a record amount to groups outside the umbrella organization's 140 member agencies. As a result, United Way must reduce contributions to member agencies by as much as $1 million.Despite this development, United Way is not about to do away with the designation feature, adopted nearly two decades ago. With one-fifth of this year's contributions designated for nonmember organizations, the feature is quite popular with donors.

United Way donors can designate gifts within its systemThe Sun's editorial "Don't forget those most in need" (June 5) missed the real point about giving through the United Way. It suggested only two options: Designate money to a charity outside the United Way system or give to the United Way's "traditional social service agencies."United Way members represent a wide range of charities, not just the "traditional social service agencies." Its seven big affiliates are Community Health Charities (formerly Combined Health Agencies)

Fearing donors would cut off financial support of Maryland's public colleges, University System of Maryland officials urged lawmakers in Annapolis yesterday to kill a bill that proposes letting the state review financial records of nonprofit organizations affiliated with government agencies.The university system's opposition to the bill, which will likely come up for a vote in the next few weeks, renewed a decade-long debate about whether such authority is warranted."These audits will damage donor confidence," said system Chancellor Donald N. Langenberg, speaking to the Senate Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee.

This fall, a metal sign will be erected at a Rosedale elementary school crediting a neighborhood savings and loan with paying for $30,000 worth of playground equipment at the school.The foot-high sign at Red House Run Elementary will signala new phase in how Baltimore County accepts donations for parks and sporting events, one that county officials hope will bring in thousands more in contributions.County Executive C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger signed an executive order in July spelling out the levels of recognition -- ranging from a listing in a brochure to a 3-foot sign -- donors will receive for contributions to fund park improvements and sporting events.

WASHINGTON -- National Democratic officials have been forced to cancel a fund-raising luncheon that was scheduled for next Monday in Baltimore because they failed to draw enough donors -- even with President Clinton on the program.The event, which was projected to raise $300,000 at the HarborView complex at the Inner Harbor, had been arranged several months ago. The three hosts were to be Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke, Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos.Party officials said they had trouble securing enough contributions for the event because many donors have already given money this year to political candidates, such as Townsend, who has her sights on the 2002 governor's race, and Vice President Al Gore, who is running for president.

Two Reisterstown girls gave up their $5 allowance. Politicians sent $100. A California woman wrote, "I'm sending this in memory of all the hurt children -- including myself."The Georgia Fisher Trust Fund, established in May for the sister of slain 9-year-old Rita Denise Fisher, so far has brought in $21,000 from more than 400 donors.The outpouring of gifts -- accompanied by emotional letters from many of the donors -- was a pleasant surprise for Georgia, 17, who lives at Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital and suffers from emotional problems after a childhood of abuse and neglect in Pikesville.

Despite a recent record-setting campaign, the United Way of Central Maryland is telling the agencies it serves that many are likely to receive less money this year -- in some cases, as much as 13 percent less.The culprit, United Way officials say, is donor "designations" to agencies that aren't members of United Way -- but whose names can be written onto pledge forms by donors.Though the numbers are still being calculated, President Larry E. Walton said allocations to the organization's 140 member agencies and affiliates would likely be reduced by at least $1 million -- even though the 1998 campaign raised $39.4 million, an increase of 4.2 percent over 1997.

Howard County hospital starts visitor restrictions Because of the increase in the number of reported cases in the pediatric population of H1N1 flu, Howard County General Hospital announced immediate changes to visitation guidelines to provide a safe environment for patients. These are temporary measures until people have had the opportunity to be vaccinated. Children younger than 16 are temporarily restricted from all patient care areas, including patient rooms, therapy areas and outpatient service areas.

Hundreds of donors attended Robert L. Ehrlich's annual Republican Corn Roast at Reynolds Farm on Saturday, where kids rode ponies while parents lined up to get a photo taken with the former governor and his wife, Kendel. Money raised by the $25-a-ticket event goes to Ehrlich's political campaign account - and he hasn't decided yet whether he will run again. Declared and undecided candidates across Maryland have begun hitting up donors as the fall political fundraising season kicks into high gear in advance of the 2010 election season and before the General Assembly session begins in January.

COLLEGE PARK -- Maryland football supporters have raised about $46,000 so the Terps can fly round trip to games at Wake Forest and North Carolina State instead of taking the bus one way. "It's nice knowing there is the possibility of making a difference," said Larry Grabenstein, chairman of the Maryland Gridiron Network, a booster group that raises money for special football projects. "Many universities are experiencing these types of fiscal pressures for the first time in a while, and it's because of the nature of the recession."

A Baltimore-based nonprofit group doled out $1 million in grants and interest-free loans to 200 Maryland students last week. The Central Scholarship Bureau held a luncheon Thursday to honor the recipients, who can use the money for any postsecondary school plans, from construction apprenticeships to graduate school. The money comes from individual donors, family foundations and a few larger foundations, such as the Meyerhoff, said Jan Wagner, the bureau's president. The annual luncheon allowed the donors to meet the students and listen to their stories.

Lawmakers ask TU to work with neighbors on arena State lawmakers have asked Towson University to cooperate with surrounding neighborhoods before moving forward with plans for a $45 million arena near homes that are adjacent to the campus. "The community respects the school's right to build an arena, but not on a boundary line without a reasonable buffer," state Sen. James Brochin said yesterday. "This is not NIMBYism. These neighbors are saying work with us, be fair and don't build a 60-foot wall 30 feet from our boundary."

From the announcement of his long-shot candidacy to management of the presidential transition over the past two months, Barack Obama's organization has rolled forward with seemingly flawless precision - including the biggest fundraising operation in U.S. political history. But for the team that's trying to pull in more than $45 million to pay for the festivities at next month's historic inauguration, the process has had some uncharacteristically bumpy moments. Officials still expect to meet their budget and underwrite a colossal celebration that they say will be open to more people than many such events have been in the past.

WASHINGTON - Hoping to allay conflict-of-interest concerns as his wife prepares to become secretary of state, former President Bill Clinton yesterdayreleased a donor list that showed he had raised as much as $131 million from foreign governments - including Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Norway - for the William J. Clinton Foundation. More than 200,000 patrons who had given a combined $500 million to his foundation since its inception in 1997 were identified by name only. The disclosures reveal a veiled world of international intrigue with a charitable goal but a cast of characters that includes countries, companies and individuals with vital and sometimes less than altruistic interests in U.S. foreign policy.

After eight years of raising money at the furious pace of $1 million a day, Johns Hopkins University President William R. Brody decided it was time for a break. He had raised billions for Hopkins, and said he didn't have the energy for another major campaign. Last week, Hopkins announced Brody's replacement, University of Pennsylvania provost Ronald J. Daniels, who says he loves fundraising. It's a good thing, too: University presidents spend up to 50 percent of their time raising money.

Keisha Hogan, 28, of Columbia said that without a scholarship to Howard Community College, she would have to work more hours, which would be difficult to balance with classes, studying and caring for two children. "Every little bit [of scholarship money] works towards something, because college costs," said Hogan, who has a 9-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. "Scholarships allow us to free up the time to go to school." Last week, Hogan and more than 80 other students had an opportunity to express their appreciation in person to the sources of their financial support at HCC's student/donor reception on the Columbia campus.

CHICAGO - Sen. Barack Obama raised more money in August than any presidential candidate has ever recorded in a one-month period, with his campaign disclosing Sunday that it collected $66 million and drew 500,000 first-time donors to his candidacy. The record-setting figures, particularly the new supporters who can contribute again before Election Day, were crucial for Obama as he headed into this month as the first major party candidate to forgo public financing for the general election.