I don't give squat to charities

[2+2]

I ain't gonna lie to you, I've never given much to charities. For one thing, I'm convinced that if I ever wrote a check to a charity I'd end up on so many mailing lists that my mailbox would be full of pics of starving children from now on. This year is soooo bad for so many people though. I'm a little slow, but I've got a plan. What if I gave cash???

This year, my income is down probably 30% but at least I've got an income. So you know those guys standing outside the grocery store ringing that stupid bell? This year I'm paying them a visit every time. Whatever I can afford - bam, that's what they get.

Anyone have a better idea how to help out? No starving children in my mailbox though, I couldn't deal with that.

[UTVitz]

Probably an excellent path to take for donating, but those ringers drive me crazy and make me feel guilty when I pass them by and try not to make eye contact. So I frequent a store that doesn't allow them outside their doors-Target, but I guess Costco doesn't allow them either since I'm there several times a week and have never seen them. I know they do good and all that, but to me they are about the same as the guy standing on the street corner or freeway off ramp wanting money.

[2+2]

Originally Posted by UTVitz

Probably an excellent path to take for donating, but those ringers drive me crazy and make me feel guilty when I pass them by and try not to make eye contact. So I frequent a store that doesn't allow them outside their doors-Target, but I guess Costco doesn't allow them either since I'm there several times a week and have never seen them. I know they do good and all that, but to me they are about the same as the guy standing on the street corner or freeway off ramp wanting money.

Good point about the guilt factor but that's my ulterior motive lol I acknowledge them with a "how ya doing" on the way into the store and cash on the way out - no guilt, so now I can shop where I want to.

[DandiDani]

im so broke that every penny counts right now...i feel really guilty tho when i pass them by as i enter a store cuz no matter how bad u think u got it...someone somewhere has got it worse.

[TinyGiant]

Originally Posted by DandiDani

im so broke that every penny counts right now...i feel really guilty tho when i pass them by as i enter a store cuz no matter how bad u think u got it...someone somewhere has got it worse.

you'd be very suprised how much things come around. I usually find the times i give when i really didnt have it are the times things randomly work out for us. even anything sometimes is better than nothing :)

[nemelek]

My wife and I give about $200/month to charties. I don't believe in the black holes of Red Cross, United Way or Salvatation Army. Don't like the expence/benefit ratio. Her money goes to Make a Wish, Horse rescue, Humane Society and grand kids school fund raising projects. Mine goes to AA and local food bank.

It is great that you are giving. Paradoxically the more you give the more you get. Try giving to a church, boys club, homeless shelter. Dr. Phill and other TV personalities have a web site of their selected charities. I feel that people should take care of their backyard first and watch out for the scams of over seas pleas.

[supmet]

Originally Posted by nemelek

I feel that people should take care of their backyard first and watch out for the scams of over seas pleas.

+1

we should save the dolphins in denmark first though

[tomato]

Originally Posted by 2+2

I .... Anyone have a better idea how to help out? No starving children in my mailbox though, I couldn't deal with that.

Great post, 2+2

If you don't have the cash, try to volunteer.

Myself, I help out 2 different non-profits, doing various stuff for them throughout the year.

I don't have the cash now but in the past I've written the occasional small check to PBS, and to the Red Cross. No starving children in my mailbox. I think I will squeeze out a little check for the Red Cross next month anyway, thanks for the reminder.

[MadMax]

Originally Posted by tomato

If you don't have the cash, try to volunteer.

An excellent suggestion! Your time and effort should be worth more to a charity than your dollars, and this way you also know that your "donation" goes towards a local charity and not overseas or to some administrative fund.

I used to give a lot more money to charities, but I ran a Combined Federal Campaign ran by the United Way. The more I learned about how the program ran, the less I supported it. For one, it is amazing at how much money goes towards actually running the charity; but more so I learned that there were "caps" set by the United Way as to how much any given charity could get. Once that limit was reached, the money was redirected towards other charities unbeknownst to the doner. The final straw was a lady I knew gave to a local Alzheimer's charity because her mother suffered from it. United Way later dropped it from their scrolls but refused to refund her money. I went through hell and high water to get her money back, so she could give it directly to the charity. That bad experience drove me away from organized fund raisers.

Instead, I donate my time when possible to local activities, such as Boy Scouts or the local school board bond drive. In the past I have helped build playgrounds in lower-income housing areas, and collected food for the needy. It's something to consider especially if money is tight...

Cheers! M2

[brotan1x]

Maybe through your job? Some companies have volunteer and even charity organizations that will take your donations and give them to the charity of your choice. This way your company donates and gets a little PR.. and you get no spam.. Some wouldn't want their company to get all the kudos but if you ask me I like not getting the spammage.

Don't feel bad about the bell ringers.. They are out there because they care... Also I found out a few years ago that the salvation army employs folks when they can't find folks to ring the bells..(so they may not really care as long as they get paid)

There are some great charities out there... the best ones to get involved in are the ones that effect you or your community. Like the highschools or boyscouts.. We always donate to the band kids since both my wife and I were band geeks in school.

Good luck

[talnlnky]

Originally Posted by 2+2

I ain't gonna lie to you, I've never given much to charities. For one thing, I'm convinced that if I ever wrote a check to a charity I'd end up on so many mailing lists that my mailbox would be full of pics of starving children from now on. This year is soooo bad for so many people though. I'm a little slow, but I've got a plan. What if I gave cash???

This year, my income is down probably 30% but at least I've got an income. So you know those guys standing outside the grocery store ringing that stupid bell? This year I'm paying them a visit every time. Whatever I can afford - bam, that's what they get.

Anyone have a better idea how to help out? No starving children in my mailbox though, I couldn't deal with that.

many people give via check or card so that they have a paper trail that they can show the IRS.

[TinyGiant]

and we sometimes barely have the funds to cover our own expenses but last month my wife and I decided to pick up a kid from the worldvision they actually have an auto giving thing now so it comes out of my account automatically .. which makes things easier. What little we have is still something some of the kids that get sponsored will never even see in their lifetime. things are so desperate for the kids that the pamplet for contacting the kid says not to talk about things you own but rather just focus on conversation about non material things since the kids dont really have anything at all to speak of. its sad, if all goes well i would love to pick up another kid next year and support two. lol
I really think the more responsible we are with taking care of the poor, widowed, elderly, homeless the more things will really come together for us as a humanity.

[BailOut]

I agree that your time can be as, or even more, valuable to a charity than cash. There are several in your local area that can use your brain, your brawn and/or your skills.

As examples, here are the ones I am currently involved with:

Kiwanis Bicycle Shop (we recycle discarded and donated bicycles for low income children)

Big Brothers Big Sisters (I am matched to a now 12 year old Hispanic boy from a broken home in an undesirable part of town)

Water quality testing

Kids for Conservation Festival

Earth Day festival

Tune Into Kids festival

"Bicycle Rodeos" in low income areas

Bicycle-based SAG (Support and Gear) for local bicycle poker runs (one is for a local troubled Middle School, the other is for the Make a Wish Foundation)


If you count up all of the time and skills I direct towards these efforts each year I guarantee it is worth more to the recipients than the amount of cash I could give them.

It would not be hard at all to tap into your local needs.

[TinyGiant]

i'm always bummed.. my church does this thing called mountain movers where they get a group of guys who have building skills together and go help people in the community that have house issues that need fixing that they cant afford to have repaired. they always do it on friday and saturday.. when i'm working. they started up when katrina hit. they banded together with local trades classes in local high schools and had them build modular homes then the homes were donated to people who lost thier homes in katrina. a year or so ago extreme home makeover helped them out with a family in NH . its quite amazing how just a couple hours of your time can really make a lasting impact on the people in your community and sometimes beyond.

[DevilGirl]

Originally Posted by TinyGiant

a year or so ago extreme home makeover helped them out with a family in NH . its quite amazing how just a couple hours of your time can really make a lasting impact on the people in your community and sometimes beyond.

My cousin's husband helped out with that project too! They live in Chichester.

[markitect]

Originally Posted by brotan1x

Don't feel bad about the bell ringers.. They are out there because they care... Also I found out a few years ago that the salvation army employs folks when they can't find folks to ring the bells..(so they may not really care as long as they get paid)
Good luck

Actually a significant portion of them are people from Salvation Army Drug and Alcohol rehabilitation programs. Unfortunately not all of the money you put in the kettles goes to those programs, and the organization in general spends much effort pushing their religion as opposed to just helping people. Also I think buying prescription heroin substitute is a poor use of funds.

[TLyttle]

Sometimes people disgust me. Notably, the ones who give nothing (I'm okay, Jack), and the bandits (all your donation goes to the poor, once I've taken my 65%).

Sometimes people do what is right. Volunteering is one sure way of knowing that your efforts go to the right people.

I watched Extreme Home Makeover, and quickly realised that they helped one family, ignoring so many other, just as deserving, families in order to sell products. More disgust.

I watched the US Government abandon all those people in New Orleans. I mean, how is the Government supposed to afford to help them when there's a war going on? There is oil to protect here! Even more disgust...

[tomato]

People who don't give any money at all often say the reason they don't is because they don't know where the money is going.

I forgot, I also gave to the Firefighters assn. a couple of times, once after 9/11, and another time when the local volunteer firefighters were raising money to buy a new engine. They did buy that truck eventually, and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, plus the feeling you get knowing you helped pay for it is priceless. Money well spent :)