Getting a $1,200 check this week? Consider donating it to community fund

The U.S. government is preparing to send checks out to lots of us, apparently in the amount of $1,200 per person with the idea that these funds will help people in immediate need and will be spent quickly in ways that will have a ripple effect that will help our economy bounce back or, at least, collapse more slowly.

Many of us are fortunate enough to be able to get by without a check. I am going to donate much of mine to the Displaced Workers Fund at the Yachats Presbyterian Church and will use the rest to purchase takeout meals at local restaurants. If you are able to, I am asking you to do the same.

Sure, it will be great if the displaced worker fund gets $1,000 or so from me and some of our local restaurants get more much-needed business. But what if 100 or 200 people in our community do the same? Then, we will be talking about some real impact.

I have spoken with YCPC Pastor Bob Barrett who told me that the church, through its fund, has already distributed $25,000 and has $20,000 left to distribute. That is a huge
accomplishment. Let’s help them continue and to expand on that good work.

Bob assured me that the need still exists and will continue to exist and said he feels that his organization can effectively handle a potentially large influx of donations.

Please give this some serious consideration and reach out to your friends and neighbors to encourage them to do the same.

There are lots of good reasons for you to do this aside from the obvious ones of helping out our neighbors and being parts of a caring community.

If you just add whatever you receive to your savings account to spend later, it won’t have its intended effect of boosting the economy in the short term. If you have investments in the stock market, I would argue that your $1,200 donated locally might help lead to economic recovery that will more than increase the value of your investments by that amount. And, if you buy things for yourself, you are likely to spend it on Amazon which will only help Amazon continue to grow at the expense of smaller and, often, local businesses.

— Bob Langley, Yachats