I had two canvassers come to my door to try to get me to adopt a child in Africa. They opened by showing a picture of a starving child and asking me if I cried when I saw their ads showing starving children. They just about fell off my steps when I told them, "No. Blatant emotional manipulation doesn't work for me". I asked them how much of the money donated actually got to those starving children, they didn't know. I asked them if they had ever been over to Africa to help those children, they said no. They were paid canvassers. That means money you give to those charities goes to hire them, not to help the starving children.
I find church groups do the best job in actually helping impoverished people. They send their own people, so the contact is direct, not hands length. They also don't make it their career to suck money from people to pay themselves. Too many charitable organizations, too few dollars.
The government has just extended the deadline for donations to Pakistan's flood victims, they will match our donations dollar for dollar. At the same time, we hear that Haiti has only cleared around 8% of the damage. Where have our dollars gone? Maybe Michelle Jean should look into that...but I doubt she will, it's all about optics. PETA says they are protecting animals, and then we find out they actually kill more cats and dogs than your local animal shelter.
Too many charities, who are way too pushy, too disconnected from the very people they are trying to help. I think a lot of people have just stopped giving money to any charity because they don't trust any of them anymore. It's sad to think that those kids starving in Africa are not getting any money, because the actual organizations who are supposed to help them are so top heavy with money grabbers, the money gets funneled to them not the kids.
I give money to charities, as I'm sure you all do, but, I make sure that the money goes directly to those who need it, and not the administrators. I hope you do the same.
13 comments:
My husband's co-worker and her husband saved up for years so that they could take a 2 year sabbatical. They are now somewhere in South America, helping build schools, hospitals and homes, teaching and proving aid personally. They're doing it through their church, living on their savings so that donations go completely to those who need it.
Quite unlike the big charities that spend more of the donated money on administration and perks, with little getting to the people who need it. We refuse to donate to any of these so-called charities. If I'm going to give, it'll be to places like the mission a couple of blocks from our place, where I see for myself that they are providing food, shelter and clothing for the local homeless. There, I *know* anything I give will actually go to help someone in need.
How about this church group?
http://www.exodusglobalalliance.org
Your tax dollars claiming to "cure" homosexuality. Revenue Canada has been notified!
Right on. I don't give anything to United Way. Too top heavy. They also give to many groups that I am totally opposed to. Now don't call me scrooge. If you want to give that's your business. My donations, with extreme scrutiny, amounts to approximately $1000 per year and tax receipts are not necessarily needed.
We give to the cemeteries where our parents are buried for maintenance and upkeep (both in small towns). Also give to COPs for Cancer, Heart Fund, MS and to all the little baseballers/soccer dudes/cubs/brownies and the like who come to the door or are on the street corners of our little town.
I used to run the office United Way campaign and doubt that much goes to administration – lots of volunteers – and you can specify those agencies that you want/don’t want to give to.
Just got a letter from the MS Society with "free" labels in my name and a dime taped to it.
Now, I feel sorry for people with MS and I would normally like to help, but this kind of guilt trip, sending you something you don't really want, that obviously has a cost attached to it, just turns me right off.
Why Southern Quebec, you are a regular Canadian patriot!
Your country thanks you for your efforts.
Your order of Canada is in the mail;keep flying the maple leaf proudly, as I know you will!
BTW: PETA is not a registered charity in Canada!
We too were fed up with being asked to donate to charity after charity, so we started to research them. We found that on average only 2% of donations actually went to the people/animals in need, the rest went on personel and admin. So we now only donate to our local animal rescue and this is often in the form of pet food and the Mennonites as they are very hands on and mainly volunteers.
I attend First Alliance Church in Toronto, and yesterday (Sunday) during the service, the Pastor said
that the Church was donating $2,000
to the Flood victims in Pakistan, which was met by the Canadian Government, so, $4,000, total. Praise the Lord, we want to reach out to our community and our world,
which is our hearts desire. We pray
that you "Climbing Out Of The Dark"
and anyone who reads this, will come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour.
I can't stand these sort of people. Give us money to help us pay for our bloated administrative staff, our corporate salaries or in the case of Peta, our 'anti-human' campaign.
I've known people involved with churches and other grass roots group that have done far more, than most of the large charities.
I do hope to get a canvasser for PETA someday. Just in case, I really need to stock some veal, get my leather jacket out, and showcase my baby seal pelts somewhere nice....
I do not give to charities that use telemarketers.
I do give to MD and The Children's Wish foundation. They gave our g/son a trip to Australia to the StarWars exhibit years ago.
Usually every labor day Jerry Lewis has a telethon, did he have one this year, never heard about it if he did, and it wasn't on any tv channel we get.
As far as tax deductions, unless you give over 1000.00 it is not much of a deduction, and if you don't pay taxes, why use them.
The revenue dept does'nt need that info. Same goes for political donations, they don't need to know who you support.
I see this post hit a nerve with some of you. I suspect we all get those random calls from telemarketers who want our money and make us feel guilty if we don't donate to their cause.
At work they only support United Way. I have big problems with United Way's support of abortion, but I can allocate my funds to only the charities I want. Dogs with Wings comes to mind...as if you hadn't guessed where my charity dollars go! I support Stars Air Ambulance as well.
Catman:
Do your research! Charities are regulated on what % they spend on administrative expenses. 98% on admin...get real.
Post a Comment