Charities That Counted on Auto Dealers Expect to Feel Squeeze

Charities around the country, especially those in small towns where there are few large companies to support them, are expecting to feel the effect of closures by major auto companies, reports the Associated Press.

The closure of dealerships is the latest blow in a string of recession-related effects on charities, as the numbers of unemployed grow, reducing individual giving, and more people hold back on major purchases like cars, cutting into profits at auto companies that have traditionally supported charity work. Closures of dealerships by Chrysler and General Motors are expected to number nearly 2,000 by the end of 2010, the Associated Press reports.