Charities target downturn victims

Daniela Mohor

Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2001 | 9:45 a.m.

Local charities, businesses and community leaders were meeting behind closed doors today to address the needs of people laid off since the terrorist attacks.

The United Way of Southern Nevada called the meeting of its supporters, affiliated charities and community leaders to develop a strategy to deal with decreased donations and increased layoffs in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

A key component of that strategy is the United Way's Displaced Workers Fund, created this week with a $100,000 seed grant, to help those unemployed by the quick economic downturn that followed the attacks.

Thousands of hotel workers have been laid off since the attacks as tourism numbers dropped, and malls along the Strip have cut their hours in response to the downturn. Many workers who have kept their jobs have experienced a cut in hours.

At the same time, many local charities have seen donations slump as local generosity has been directed toward relief efforts in New York and Washington.

United Way and Catholic Charities officials both predicted the city's social services soon will feel the strain.

"Donations normally given to us are not coming," said Sharon Mann, community relations manager at Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada. "We are concerned because people are being laid off. We're afraid the demand will be higher than the services we have."

Before the attacks, Mann said, the charity used to receive up to 10 envelopes of cash donations a day. Since Sept. 11 it has received no more than two daily.

During today's meeting, participants were to discuss the best ways to use the United Way's Displaced Workers Fund. Among other things, the fund could be used to help families pay their rent, mortgage and utilities, or to provide food and shelter, United Way President Garth Winckler said.

But the charities will need help, Winckler said. They will be appealing to businesses and individuals to chip in however they can.

"We all have something we can offer, whether it's a service or a contribution," he said, adding that businesses could, for instance, give laid-off workers more time to pay their bills.

Winckler also said he was confident the economic downturn in Las Vegas would be temporary.

"People will come back," he said. "We need a Las Vegas in this nation."