For charities, a gift is a gift, no matter how small

This is the season of giving, when we give to the people we love as well as to people we have never even met. And the gift you may think of as insignificant and of little consequence to a charity is often the very thing that will make all the difference to people in need.

It turns out that nonprofit organizations receive most of their annual contributions during the final quarter of the year. A cynic would attribute this surge to the imperatives of the tax code, and others to some amorphous, benevolent, seasonal spirit. Whatever the reason, statistics from the Direct Marketing Assn. Nonprofit Federation show that charitable giving peaks in December.

These statistics are certainly borne out by our experience at the Los Angeles Mission. Though we are more than delighted to receive large donations, it is the sum total of the smaller contributions that dependably undergird our operation. Even the smallest year-end contribution can touch those most in need in our city.

YEAR IN REVIEW: 10 tips for a better life from The Times’ Op-Ed pages in 2013

However, it is the stories of wealthy individuals who donate millions of dollars to charitable organizations that most often capture the public’s imagination and the media buzz. The willingness of the wealthy to share their financial largesse with those less fortunate is something everyone admires.

Sometimes this admiration can leave people feeling a little intimidated. Will that check for $10, or maybe even less, really help or accomplish much? The answer is a very definite yes. Although nonprofit organizations are certainly grateful for gifts of millions of dollars, such donations are rare. If charities were forced to rely solely on large gifts, those organizations would soon go bankrupt.

Research shows that the vast majority of charitable gifts are comparatively small — that donors often give incremental amounts in response to specific appeals. Making a small gift in the form of a steady, monthly donation gives charitable organizations the opportunity to establish reliable operating budgets. But even when small donations are made on a more random schedule, efficient charities know how to maximize each gift’s effectiveness.

YEAR IN REVIEW: Kindness in the world of politics? 7 uplifting examples from 2013

Whatever amount you give is put to good use. At the Los Angeles Mission, for example, about 60% of our annual operating budget is raised in the final three months of the year. But we have to work hard year-round to soothe the exhausted bodies and the beleaguered spirits of the people who live on the ragged edges of our city streets. We take pride in preparing and serving thousands of meals all year long, not just during the holidays. We provide clothing, shoes, showers, emergency shelter and medical help, as well as counseling, education, job training and other practical services. Our long-term residential program prepares our graduates for a new beginning, often their last chance to have a productive and healthy life.

But we and many other nonprofits are struggling today to cope with the harsh reality of trying to meet more need with fewer dollars. The effect of this tough economy hits us hard every day as more individuals and families come to us for help. This means we expend a lot of effort to get the most out of every dollar donated.

Small gifts, of any amount, when multiplied by the millions of everyday people who support our nation’s charities, add up to something that makes a huge difference in the lives of people who have nowhere else to turn. In fact, those small gifts made $316 billion worth of difference to charities in America last year.

YEAR IN REVIEW: 13 biggest political blunders of 2013 -- and what they mean for the year ahead

So whenever you read about a millionaire’s gift, know that your donation, however humble, is vital to a charity’s ongoing life support. When you sit down to write a check to your favorite charity, remember the biblical story of the widow’s mite. She gave two small coins, while the wealthy gave much more. But it was everything she had. It made a difference and showed that there is really no such thing as a small gift. That widow understood it is more blessed to give than to receive. Consider that concept and know that whatever you give will be appreciated beyond measure.

Herb Smith is president of the Los Angeles Mission and chairman of the Los Angeles Central Providers Collaborative, an organization representing the homeless service providers in the skid row area.