This is the time of year my mail box
starts filling with calendars, personal return address labels and other unsolicited
trivia from organizations purported to be charities.
First question that comes to mind is, how
did they get my name and address? Did the D.A.V or American Legion sell it
along with all other donor’s information? Were their records hacked?
Many charities are out and out scams.
Then the question is, how much goes to
those in need after all the expenses of the fund raising?
Some worthwhile charities with good
reputations seem to be taken over and lose their focus. Military Order of The
Purple Heart?
Some don’t just focus on the needs of the
people they are supposedly helping but have social/political agendas. Wounded
Warriors? Some do get my pennies. Soldier’s Angels.
Circa 1970’s my now ex wife and other
parents founded a chapter of the National Autism Association in the Seattle
area. The focus was on helping families with autistic children cope. A few
years later we founders were ousted in a coup and the chapter became a fund
raiser for the professionals at the University of Washington to fund
their various studies.
Today I always say “Yes” when asked to “round
up” at my local grocery store for the food bank. As far as I know most of what
is raised does provide food.
Occasionally when I know of good people
struggling I will buy durable food staples and leave a few sacks on their
doorstep, or in the bed of their pickup, and then walk away.
Have you ever watched someone, usually a young
mother, counting her change before going in and prepaying for gasoline? Ever
walk over and swipe you credit card at her pump and fill her tank? That is
giving with a purpose.
13 comments:
I'm with you 100% WSF. I do give food to the "Settlement House", a local food bank that takes food in and hands it out with volunteers doing the lifting. Frozen turkeys and chickens along with flats of canned food are always appreciated. I will hand over money to people where the funds are passed on to the needy. However, United Way and the rest of the scams won't get a penny.
I *only* give to The Salvation Army and the DAV.
Giving back takes an effort to insure your help "helps". Lazy way is just send a check.
The DAV is on my list.
I try to give to individuals. And having been the recipient of assistance more than once in my life, sometimes when I really was on the edge of disaster, I know how much easier it is to give than to receive. By doing the small things I do and remaining anonymous, I am helping someone that definitely needs a hand AND making it a little easier for that person to accept it. I wrote about it awhile back. Don't go away, let me see if I can find it... ah, here's one
http://amimental.blogspot.com/2009/12/resolved.html
And some clarification for that one.. http://amimental.blogspot.com/2009/12/okay-ill-tell.html
I still help when I can. But I don't say anything about it.
DAV, Soldier's Angels and the occasional 'pay it forward'...
There was a low point in my life when sleep apnea nearly killed me. An occasional $20 bill from friends meant my kids had milk.
I've been known to leave a 50 lb sack of pet food at the local animal shelter. Just walk in, put it down, and leave.
I do small things (small to me, not so small to recipients). I will buy cans of food and place them in the food collection boxes in the stores, and even pay, anomalously, for older vets food at restaurants or my WH. I hadn't though of swiping my card at a gas pump. I'll keep that one in mind. I NEVER give to charities. Even the vets, because I don't believe they actually do what the claim for the vets. Greed pisses me off.
I agree with much of what you say. One of my oldest friends is involved with the American Legion at the national level. I trust him to try to do the right thing and that is why I support the AL.
I am a Member For Life with the AM, and I do work through them, I just don't consider them a Charitable Organization.
There are so many charities, and go fund me things out there these days, it can be difficult to decide which, if any, to give to. I mostly give tangible items, and/or do the random acts/paying it forward things, without them knowing it was me. I don't need a participation certificate for doing what is a simple act of kindness.
As it should be.
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