SENATE MEMORIAL 18

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2021

INTRODUCED BY

Brenda McKenna

A MEMORIAL

ENCOURAGING BUSINESSES AND CONSUMERS TO SUPPORT CHARITABLE GIVING BY OFFERING AND DONATING TO CHARITY CHECKOUT PROGRAMS.

     WHEREAS, 2020 presented the challenges of a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic, financial instability and growing social concerns; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico government is experiencing a budget crisis due to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the decline in oil and gas revenues; and

     WHEREAS, many New Mexico organizations that depend on charitable giving to fund operations have to make difficult decisions about how to allocate scarce resources; and

     WHEREAS, despite these uncertain times, individuals have shown historic levels of generosity by significantly increasing their giving in support of those who have been impacted by this challenging environment; and

     WHEREAS, one of the easiest ways to donate is through charity checkout campaigns that offer customers the option to count up the cost of their purchases; and

     WHEREAS, at a store's checkout, customers may be asked if they want to increase, or count up, the purchase amount to the nearest dollar and donate the change to charity; and

     WHEREAS, a purchase of ten dollars fifty cents ($10.50) would be rounded up to eleven dollars ($11.00), with the fifty-cent ($.50) difference between the purchase price and the total donated to a designated charitable or nonprofit organization; and

     WHEREAS, customers can also round-up-plus, to add whatever additional amount they choose; and

     WHEREAS, a purchase of ten dollars fifty cents ($10.50) could be rounded up to sixteen dollars fifty cents ($16.50), with the five-dollar ($5.00) difference between the purchase price and the total donated to a designated charitable or nonprofit organization; and

     WHEREAS, in 2018, more than four hundred eighty-six million dollars ($486,000,000) was raised in the United States by seventy-nine point-of-sale fundraising campaigns, according to statistics compiled by engage for good; and

     WHEREAS, companies such as Walmart, Sam's club, PetSmart and Goodwill industries offer point-of-purchase charity programs; and

     WHEREAS, national nonprofit charitable organizations, including save the children and the American red cross, are recipients, as well as local nonprofit organizations such as the Santa Fe watershed association and habitat for humanity; and

     WHEREAS, in addition to charitable organizations, businesses can designate count-up funds for specific school music and sports programs, food banks, homeless shelters, classroom supplies, animal shelters, domestic violence shelters and other worthy causes; and

     WHEREAS, businesses that participate in count-up programs gain customer recognition and loyalty; and

     WHEREAS, organizations such as the New Mexico chamber of commerce, the New Mexico retail association, the better business bureau serving New Mexico and southwest Colorado, the New Mexico grocers association and think New Mexico would be valuable resources for educating New Mexicans about the advantages of donating through count-up programs; and

     WHEREAS, during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, count-up programs provide an opportunity for people to increase their altruism to help their fellow New Mexicans;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that businesses and consumers be encouraged to support charitable giving by offering and donating to charity checkout programs; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the president and chief executive officer of the New Mexico chamber of commerce, the president of the New Mexico retail association, the chair of the board of directors of the better business bureau serving New Mexico and southwest Colorado, the board chair of the New Mexico grocers association and the executive director of think New Mexico.

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