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InterVarsity, which had giving revenues of $59.8 million last year (unchanged from 2007), is in the middle of a campaign to raise funds from major donors. Hill tells of a corporate leader who had expressed interest in making a hefty donation before his company went bankrupt and he lost the equity he had built up in the firm over two decades. Hill visited the patron to offer his consolation. "He said, 'My regret now is that I didn't give it when I had it. I was going to give it later on,' " Hill recalls. "He said, 'I'm not going to make that mistake again.' "

The donor has found another job, and even though he lost 80 percent of his net wealth, he has committed to giving InterVarsity $100,000 this year, Hill says.

Meanwhile, Carolyn Cooper is mindful of the faithfulness of her adult son, who has sponsored Compassion children since high school. He once continued his contributions during an 18-month stretch of unemployment.

"I am going to keep supporting these three girls no matter what," Cooper declares. "I can't do any less than my own child did."

John W. Kennedy, a Christianity Today contributing editor, is based in Springfield, Missouri.

Copyright © 2009 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

This article was posted with "A Simple, Old-Fashioned Fundraiser" as part of Christianity Today's May cover package.

CT has more coverage of the economic crisis and money & business. Other articles on charities and giving include:

Scrooge Lives! | Why we're not putting more in the offering plate. And what we can do about it. (December 5, 2008)

Some Boats Stay Afloat | An economic downturn isn't always bad news for giving. (December 5, 2008)

Church Giving Outlook: You've Got Some Time | Research shows that members' contributions stay steady through first years of recession. (October 16, 2008)

Philanthro-Pinch | Economic downturn sparks worries over giving. (July 11, 2008)

Overturning the Money Tables | Rusty Leonard is a financial manager who wants to change how you give and invest. (July 11, 2008)

Charity: Businesses Find Money in Charity | Are for-profit Web sites skimming the collection plate? (February 19, 2001)

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May 2009, Vol. 53, No. 5