By Michael Benjamin
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wrvo/local-wrvo-951343.mp3
WRVO – The Central New York Community Foundation says it received more than $5 million in contributions in the last three months of 2010. That's more than twice the $1.95 million it received in the same timeframe in 2009.
President and CEO of the Community Foundation, Peter Dunn says that could be significant for the Central New York region as a whole.
"I think that the activity that we saw in the last quarter is a reflection of the economy, an improvement in the economy," he says, "as well as an improved perspective from the investment markets."
Dunn says from 2008 to 2009, the Community Foundation went nearly a year without asset contributions (that's when people donate things other than their income, like stocks), so he says the fact that the group saw an increase in asset contributions last year shows that people in Central New York are more optimistic about their future.