I don't give squat to charities

[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