Charities deluged with donations before end of year

People are taking advantage of the last week of the year to get in their donations for a charitable tax deduction.

“We have a toddler, so we are trying to get rid of some of his toys and his clothes and things like that because he got new stuff for Christmas,” said Kate Melin, who was among those dropping off donations at the GCF Donation Center and Store in north Raleigh on Saturday.

Melin admited there's another reason her family donates this time of year.

Becky Lytle, of Goodwill Industries, said the surge of donations that come in at the end of the year will help stock the store for months to come.

"We get a lot of merchandise in, and this will carry us over some of the slower months of the year,” she said.

Donations are pouring in and piling up, but concerns are also growing about the fiscal cliff and whether lawmakers will change how much Americans can write off their taxes for charitable donations.

Haven Sink, with the Salvation Army of Wake County, said she thinks donors will continue to give – with or without a charitable deduction.

“We do hope that people will have those extra incentives to give,” she said. “But if not, we know that people will continue to believe in our mission and our programs and help those in need around us.”

Melin agrees that the season of giving isn’t always about getting something back in return.