During this festive time of the year, please take some time to think of others who are not so fortunate. Many local agencies are working with clients who have faced lay-offs and are struggling to stay in their homes, stay warm and feed their children.

Thank your lucky stars if you have never experienced the frustration of a lay-off or a foreclosure. The insecurities of the unemployment limbo can be debilitating and trigger deep depression, which is more intensely felt during the holidays.

Most charitable agencies have an expanding list of clients, way more than ever before. All the agencies are competing for resources from their funding sources. Your donation means so much to their clients, and you can be assured the clients will receive the benefits of your generous donation.

Whether you donate to agencies such as LIFT-UP, The Advocate Safehouse Project, Salvation Army, Feed My Sheep or Catholic Charities before the end of the year, you can claim your donation on your 2009 taxes. Ask the agency for the necessary paperwork when you make your donation.

May everyone have a wonderful holiday season, and an increasingly prosperous New Year!

Kay Vasilakis’ “Nonprofit Spotlight” column runs every other Wednesday in the Glenwood Springs Post Independent. She is an active member of the Garfield County Human Services Commission. To contact her for possible mention in a future Nonprofit Spotlight column, e-mail kayvasilakis@yahoo.com or call 618-6689.