It is charity season .

R

rgp

Well-known Member
Location
Milford,OH
I have one main charity that I donate too , and one or two more that I donate to on occasion .

So, this being charity season, thought I'd check again on CEO & other officer salaries. Well IMO they are over the top. Even the one that I have supported for some time now has climbed . Maybe not out of hand ? but getting close.

So, I am going to look into local charities, children , animals, etc. But frankly I'm on edge of just not donating at all. I just think some of them are way over in administration cost & way under in the amount going to the actual mission/need. One that I looked into, the top four first officers are all in the same family [same last name] .

I'm not naming individual charities [as IMO] that just opens the door for actual arguing ..... my dog's bigger than your dog kind of thing.

But I do encourage anyone donating/thinking of donating do you own research , double check the top salaries .... some are ridiculous.
 

There is one I stopped donating to during the pandemic. They sent multiple requests, free gifts, etc. that got irritating and were attempts to make you feel obligated. Then it was announced elsewhere that they had their biggest year ever. The requests were still mentioning how hard everything was during the pandemic. That did it for me.
 
I used to fall for the hype and give generiously even when I was struggling. I'm atheist so don't attend church and thought why not tithe to good causes instead? So I did. I must say that Red Cross helped me quite a bit when I lost everything in a fire so I'm more than a bit partial to them but really don't even give to them anymore.

That said if I ever give to a national charity, it'll be them. 90% of their donations go to charity but that's because they make their top executives salaries by selling the blood they collect to the hospitals which makes me think that they have removed an avenue for poor people to earn a few dollars when needed. You used to hear of people selling their blood to pay the gas bill or buy food. It's no longer an option and that's sounding like the Red Cross is why so I'm not happy about that. But if I gave to a national/international they'd be the one because I know first hand they do good work.

Now, when I give to charity at all and I admit it's rare these days becasue I'm struggling (phsycially not financially) and just plain can't get out, I'll only give cash, not check, to local charities anonymously. If they don't have an option for doing that, they don't want my money bad enough and I'll keep it.

Also I've become an old grump and really circled back to charity begins at home. I'd rather spend it on my daughter and grandson and I'd rather leave it to them to help their lives out. I will also help out friends and neighbors in need if I can.

Or anyone I see obviously genuinely struggling. When I was a struggling single mother, I ran across a woman with a small boy, genuine rags and obviously needy. I had just bought bread and cheese to get my daughter and me through to my next pay, making grilled cheese sandwiches for several days 'til I got paid.

Kid, couldn't have been more than two or three, and if three, was a mighty small three, was crying and woman was frantic. Big church near the bus stop that heavily advertised help she'd showed up to there so called shelter and food pantry to find them locked and no one around and did I know when they were there. I did not but I counted out how much of the loaf of bread and how much of the package of cheese, I needed for my daughter and me and gave her the rest. Hell, we were going to have grilled cheese. She was just grateful to get some bread and cheese for her toddler. I also directed her to the traveler's aid society and another homeless shelter I knew of downtown.

I'd really rather help one on one like that. I'll also make clear that I'm not a soft touch. If you make a decent living and mismanage, your money, I ain't give you mine. That said, I never "lend" money expecting it back. It's a risk. I consider it gone and if they pay back (usually) it's a pleasant surprise to get it. I take it back when I get it back as not to do so would encourage mooching and well they've got to feel good that they kept their promise to. Taking charity is not fun and makes one feel worthless.
 
I don't give to charities. I gave $10 to one, online. I know it wasn't much. Then I got full color brochures, thick envelopes with address stickers, pens, & notebooks., asking for more money. This went on for month after month. They must have spent many $100s on just asking for money. The $10 I gave them wouldn't even cover the postage for all those mailings. My other gripe is huge corporations sponsoring charities. Who do you think is paying for some corporations generosity? Plus, if the corporation is making TV ads saying how wonderful and generous they are , to me, that reeks of PR, not charity.
Bah, humbug, I have to steal some kid's candy and kick a puppy.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I don't give to charities. I gave $10 to one, online. I know it wasn't much. Then I got full color brochures, thick envelopes with address stickers, pens, & notebooks., asking for more money. This went on for month after month. They must have spent many $100s on just asking for money. The $10 I gave them wouldn't even cover the postage for all those mailings. My other gripe is huge corporations sponsoring charities. Who do you think is paying for some corporations generosity? Plus, if the corporation is making TV ads saying how wonderful and generous they are , to me, that reeks of PR, not charity.
Bah, humbug, I have to steal some kid's candy and kick a puppy.
Click to expand...

You bring up some good points ...... and I agree.
 
I had a charity that I've never donated to send me a similar package with a calendar, notepad, dried up pens & socks last week as well. It's a shame the amount of money charities waste when they do this instead of using that money they wasted for those who need help.

I don't expect anything from a charity when I donate money, food or clothing but a receipt for taxes. I donate clothes & assorted items to a local church thrift shop. Canned goods to the local Fish food pantry. Money to local animal shelters.

If I know someone who can use the things directly, I'll give it to them. Some years ago my neighbors gained custody of their granddaughter with no support from her parents, I'd give them outgrown clothing & toys.
 
Lilac said:
If I know someone who can use the things directly, I'll give it to them. Some years ago my neighbors gained custody of their granddaughter with no support from her parents, I'd give them outgrown clothing & toys.
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Much better use of those items.

I remember when my daughter was little Toys for Tots was about donating used toys. I used them to get her to relinquish toys before a new influx every Christmas, followed by her birthday just two weeks later. They had reasonable limitations like no plushies because they host germs big time and must be clean and in good repair. She felt good about giving to kids who were homeless (yeah, a parent has to be crafty sometimes) so Santa didn't know where they were.

I decluttered her toy shelves from her making the decision what she could part with - which always but always turned out to be what I would have selected because they were the toys she never played with any more. Now they only accept new unopened toys that you must buy new to give them. Eff that. Why don't the Marines just ask for cash donations then, have the poor kids make a Santa list (easy enough to get kids to write a letter to Santa) and shop themselves?

Another thing that's put me off charities is this beggars have become choosers mentality that currently exists. If you're begging, you should take what you can get and be grateful someone was willing to give it to you. The sense of entitlement is flabbergasting.
 
Blaze Duskdreamer said:
I used to fall for the hype and give generiously even when I was struggling. I'm atheist so don't attend church and thought why not tithe to good causes instead? So I did. I must say that Red Cross helped me quite a bit when I lost everything in a fire so I'm more than a bit partial to them but really don't even give to them anymore.

That said if I ever give to a national charity, it'll be them. 90% of their donations go to charity but that's because they make their top executives salaries by selling the blood they collect to the hospitals which makes me think that they have removed an avenue for poor people to earn a few dollars when needed. You used to hear of people selling their blood to pay the gas bill or buy food. It's no longer an option and that's sounding like the Red Cross is why so I'm not happy about that. But if I gave to a national/international they'd be the one because I know first hand they do good work.

Now, when I give to charity at all and I admit it's rare these days becasue I'm struggling (phsycially not financially) and just plain can't get out, I'll only give cash, not check, to local charities anonymously. If they don't have an option for doing that, they don't want my money bad enough and I'll keep it.

Also I've become an old grump and really circled back to charity begins at home. I'd rather spend it on my daughter and grandson and I'd rather leave it to them to help their lives out. I will also help out friends and neighbors in need if I can.

Or anyone I see obviously genuinely struggling. When I was a struggling single mother, I ran across a woman with a small boy, genuine rags and obviously needy. I had just bought bread and cheese to get my daughter and me through to my next pay, making grilled cheese sandwiches for several days 'til I got paid.

Kid, couldn't have been more than two or three, and if three, was a mighty small three, was crying and woman was frantic. Big church near the bus stop that heavily advertised help she'd showed up to there so called shelter and food pantry to find them locked and no one around and did I know when they were there. I did not but I counted out how much of the loaf of bread and how much of the package of cheese, I needed for my daughter and me and gave her the rest. Hell, we were going to have grilled cheese. She was just grateful to get some bread and cheese for her toddler. I also directed her to the traveler's aid society and another homeless shelter I knew of downtown.

I'd really rather help one on one like that. I'll also make clear that I'm not a soft touch. If you make a decent living and mismanage, your money, I ain't give you mine. That said, I never "lend" money expecting it back. It's a risk. I consider it gone and if they pay back (usually) it's a pleasant surprise to get it. I take it back when I get it back as not to do so would encourage mooching and well they've got to feel good that they kept their promise to. Taking charity is not fun and makes one feel worthless.
Click to expand...
A point . Here in Canada it is ILLEGAL for any one to sell blood or plasma to get money. The Canadian Blood Service in our national agency that operates the blood supply system. It is also illegal to try to sell tissue or organs here. Blood here is provided at no cost to the patient. During a 2023 hospital stay for seriously low hemoglobin, I got 6 units of blood, and 3 units of plasma by IV. After being sent home I got 4 units of iron by IV as an out patient. None of those treatments cost me a cent out of pocket. That is the beauty of a universal health care system...Everyone is covered, no exceptions, no preexisting conditions, no B.S. with insurance companies deciding your fate. JimB.
 
Sliverfox said:
Our waste basket is full of letters wanting donations.

Some of them we've never heard of.
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That is because your name and address have been sold to buyers of lists of those who do donate to a charity. A long time ago I investigated such a company here in Ontario. Their method of collecting names and addresses was to set up a booth at a Bridal Show, offering an all expenses paid "Honey Moon Cruise " to the brides. Just fill in this ballot, and we will have the prize draw at 5 pm today.

YES there really was a free trip given away, BUT the real object was to compile as many names and home addresses as possible. The lists were sold for around 25 cents per name, to companies that are in the Wedding Business. A 3 day Bridal Show could generate thousands of "hot leads " The same company also worked the boat shows, offering a free 3 day salt water fishing trip prize. Those who filled out the cards to try to win the prize were soon buried in mail offers for boats and fishing equipment. Marketing companies buy lists of all types.

The same type of list gathering still goes on, but now they use the internet to get the data, which they then sell for so much per name. JimB.
 
We do give some $$ donations to well-organized charitable organizations. But we're still able bodied — maybe myself a bit more than my wife, who's had recent double knee surgery. So we participate in a local circle of friends who provided each other with energy & skills, carpentry, welding, cooking, or some related to gardening... that sort of stuff. Feels very good to do it.
 

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