Donations

The do-gooding spirit is thriving in the U.S., with 81% of Americans planning to maintain or boost their donations this year, according to a new report. That's nine percentage points higher than 2011 and 18 points above 2010, according to Fidelity Charitable, which offers programs to boost altruism. The average American plans to give $2,400, up from $2,100 last year. Three-quarters of the 571 respondents said they don't donate in order to benefit from tax deductions. Seven in 10 are influenced by their experiences with illness or death, while two-thirds say it's a holiday tradition to give.

WASHINGTON - A nonprofit advocacy group allied with President Obama revealed Thursday that it would decline corporate donations and release more information about its contributors, but the decision did not placate campaign finance reform advocates who said the organization still provided big donors a conduit for access to the White House. Jim Messina, who managed Obama's 2012 reelection campaign and is now chairman of Organizing for Action, announced the changes after a torrent of criticism from reform advocates, as well as Republicans, about the group's fundraising plans.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina expressed concerns Tuesday that campaign contributions to sheriff's brass by department employees created potential conflicts of interest in personnel decisions. The board approved a motion by Molina to ask the county's attorneys to gauge the legality of banning county managers from soliciting such donations within their departments, though employees would still be able to contribute on their own. Sheriff Lee Baca and Undersheriff Paul Tanaka, who is also mayor of Gardena, have over the years accepted thousands of dollars in contributions from department employees.

AURORA, Colo. - Their numbers were smaller than when they first gathered, but their anger was still raw, this time tinged with a weariness over a fight they say should never have happened. They are victims and families of those killed and wounded in the Aurora movie theater massacre, and they want to know what happened to $5 million in donations collected since the violence of July 20. "There have been two tragedies in Aurora. The first was the theater shooting. The second is how the victims have been treated by the powers that be," said Tom Teves, the father of Alex Teves, who was killed in the rampage at a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises.

Camarillo Village Square will be a donation drop-off center for victims of Hurricane Andrew on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Toni Weitzel, donation collection organizer, said non-perishable food, clothing and "anything anybody would like to donate" will be accepted to help the victims, many of whom were left homeless by the hurricane in Florida two weeks ago. Hurricane Andrew killed 22 people and destroyed or damaged more than 80,000 residences.

Some California politicians are ridding their campaign coffers of cash from a Los Angeles venture capitalist who has pleaded guilty to bribing pension officials in New York. Elliott Broidy, who had California government contracts worth tens of millions of dollars, showered his personal fortune on officeholders and candidates. Over the last decade, Broidy and his wife, Robin Rosenzweig, have made nearly $900,000 in campaign contributions in California, including $57,000 to candidates and ballot measures in the city of Los Angeles.

More than 200 nonprofit groups, from animals rights organizations to political activists, said most of their donated funds appear to have vanished after the organization that watched over the money suddenly ceased operations last month. The International Humanities Center closed its offices, took down its Web page and informed its clients by email that it has ceased operation. The center served as an umbrella organization for small nonprofit groups, handling their donations and performing administrative duties.

Donations of clothing, appliances, furniture and household goods are being sought by the Cherub-Bin Thrift Shop to raise money for Pacific Clinics. The Cherub-Bin sells the donated items and gives the proceeds to Pacific Clinics, a nonprofit, community-based mental-health agency that provides outpatient services to children, adults, senior citizens and the homeless of the San Gabriel Valley. All donations are tax deductible. The Cherub-Bin Thrift Shop is located at 909 S. Fair Oaks Ave.

Contributions to the Rev. Robert H. Schuller's TV ministry declined in the first five months of this year but have rebounded in June, according to figures released Monday. The Garden Grove evangelist said in a prepared statement that adverse publicity surrounding the PTL scandal "has deeply hurt all television ministries." But he did not attribute the declines in contributions to the PTL affair, which surfaced in March.

The City Council has asked its staff to research offers of donations from private groups which could fund operation and maintenance of a 1.16-acre park and museum on property at Armaga Spring and Highridge roads. The museum would preserve the residence and radio equipment of radio pioneer Don C. Wallace, who died in 1985.