“Our mission is not in a recession.” — Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association.

It seems that every day there’s another news report about how holiday gift sales are shaping up this year (they’re rebounding! They’re slipping! They’re steady!). Forecasters are still unsure about how the figures will shake out, but one thing is certain: U.S. charities are struggling to attract the same level of giving in 2009 that they received in prior years. And they aren’t counting on a big boost from people giving donations as holiday gifts either, according to a recent report. Thirty-eight percent of Americans said they were going to include charitable gifts among their holiday presents this year; that’s an 11 percent decrease from last year, according to a Harris Interactive survey released last month.

Overall, the same number of Americans are passing along dollars to charities, but they are making smaller donations. That’s bad news for charitable organizations, whose services are becoming more important as the economy continues its rocky ride. Nancy Brown, whose quote begins this entry, said her Dallas-based organization ended its fiscal year on June 30 with an 11.8 percent decrease in donations. That’s a sobering figure, especially for those of us focusing energy on philanthropic efforts.

The news isn’t all bad. Brown did note that the number of volunteers participating in the Association’s efforts actually increased this year. People without the disposable income they enjoyed earlier in the decade are still finding ways to give back. It’s all about doing what you can, giving what you can.

On that note, we’ll be providing more opportunities for people — and corporations — to get involved with our endeavor beyond simply making straight donations. Take a look at our reshaped focus and stay tuned for updates as we continue to work toward bringing some extra warmth to the lives of children in need around the world.

Happy holidays from the SWM team!