In the fat years, the Washington Post had a marvelous program for giving back to the community. It was called the Washington Post Matching Gifts Program, and, according to a memo just blasted to Post employees, the program has generated a “grand total of
$2,083,811.00 to numerous nonprofit organizations in the metropolitan
Washington, DC area” over the past six years.

The fat years, as everyone knows, are done with, and so is the Washington Post Matching Gifts Program. Memo after the jump—-be on the lookout for the euphemistic use of the word “hiatus.”

The Washington Post has long been proud of its efforts to give back to the
community that makes the existence of the newspaper possible. Over the
past six years alone, Post employees have donated a grand total of
$2,083,811.00 to numerous nonprofit organizations in the metropolitan
Washington, DC area through The Washington Post Matching Gifts Program.
The Post and the community commend you all for your efforts to better the
world in which we live through your generous donations and volunteerism.

Unfortunately, The Washington Post Matching Gifts Program will go on hiatus
as of July 31, 2009. In order to meet the closing date of July 31, 2009,
please submit your match requests no later than June 29, 2009. Failure to
meet the June 29 deadline will result in the denial of your match request.
Information regarding charitable giving will be provided to all employees
in early September.