Giving to Charities in Dollars and Sense

[Valiant]

An eye-opener article about charity dollars:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/...mymanitoba.com

[Shwa Girl]

Sad news that the those in need are not getting all of our charity dollars, because some at the top are getting the bigger share.

We choose our charities carefully and try to research how much goes to the people in need and how much goes to the people at the top. Even those who work the telephones don't get a great salary.

Hopefully we aren't being bamboozled.
I like Sally Ann, The Yonge Street Mission (Toronto) and Doctors Without Borders.

[Natalka]

I had heard discussion of this yesterday - BUT there is one huge thing people need to think about regarding the listing - organizations such as universities, hospitals/health regions, etc. have a charitable component for fundraising, but that is not their main focus obviously. They are places which do need high-salaried presidents, CEOs, etc. who are educated and experienced to run them.

Contrast those with charities like the Cancer Society, United Way etc. - 'true' charities which do fundraising - those are the ones whose top dogs' salaries we should be concerned about because they eat into the administrative chunk taken away from the amount which people donate.

For example, if I make a charitable donation to the University of Saskatchewan foundation - I do it with the full knowledge that President MacKinnon makes a very well-deserved high salary, because his job is huge, and he deserves it. He's overseeing the entire university, not just the charitable portions.
However, if I am making a contribution to another charitable organization such as the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, I'm thinking that its head should not be in the same salary category as the aforementioned one at the university.

Do you see the same difference I do?

Well, that said, with so many charities 'competing' for money these days, we must be vigilant we are giving to those which have the lowest overall administrative costs, so more of the money given goes for its intended purpose.

[Loner]

that's why I never give to charity
except for the Salvation Army
they have been around forever and have a clean reputation.

[Andit]

Before donating to any charity, check out their profile on the CRA website & check their financials:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/.../menu-eng.html


There are 2 charities I would never donate to - the Salvation Army and the United Way.

I used to give to the Sally Ann (my friend's mom was involved with them years ago), but they`ve become too political, at least here in Toronto. A couple of years ago, there was an incident downtown where the Salvation Army was dealing with a bylaw infraction. Instead of dealing with the matter & extending good will towards the neighbours (who were directly impacted by the infraction), they hired lobbyists to have an exemption to the bylaw. Sorry, but I don`t want my donation going to lobbyists.

As for the United Way, back when I was working for the accountants, I had no choice but to donate to them (it was taken off my salary, although I did have the discretion to choose how much I donated). I was smart enough to read the fine print (for a change) & realized that my donation could be directed to another charity & not the one they were promoting, so I did exactly that. After some cajoling (`but the money is needed for this cause right now`), they relented & the money went towards training guide dogs. It still took 18 months of arguing with them to get my tax receipt. I later did volunteer work with a small charity & found out how the United Way works from that side of things - small charities are expected to pay $5000 up front for the privelege of being one of their members, but that does not guarantee any donations will come their way. I have no idea if that policy has changed, but it soured me on the organization.

If you`re donating a large amount and are relying on the tax receipt, then do your homework & let your heart lead you. If it`s a small amount and you don`t really care about the amount you`ll get off your taxes, you`re better off doing some good in your neighbourhood. Buy a couple of bags of dog/cat food and give it to your local shelter (even better, find out who does rescue in your area - usually someone with a big heart helping critters out of their house need more help) or buy some toys to send to the children`s ward at the hospital or buy some treats to take to a seniors` home or buy some juice for the patients at chemo (when I was on dialysis, the nurses were taking turns buying juice & cookies for patients, after the hospital cut their budget)..

[Patty Smyth]

This is why I buy items and donate to the Brewery Mission, they accept anyone, regardless of religion, language or sex.

[Natalka]

Like Andit, we used to donate to the United Way, but not any more; their umbrella has gotten much too wide. Same with UNICEF, used to be a wonderful charity, but no longer.

[FallenPixels]

I donate to local charities where I am directly involved and know where the money goes

Salvation Army is far from the best, the govt says that 80% of funds need to go to the charity's aims, Salvation Army is at 88% so 12c of your $$ still goes to administration costs. The last report I saw had the Aga Khan Foundation spending less than the SA on administration and showed the Salvation Army down at 67% for that year

[Lynn49]

I'm probably going to get into some hot water here, but to be brutally honest, I'm extremely concerned about all the money that's being fed into the foundation for breast cancer research. Can you imagine how much money is in their coffers? And what advances have they made? Yes, yes, these things take time, but I think they have enough for now, and considering that MORE women are DYING from HEART DISEASE than breast cancer, I feel that's the charity I want, finding out why, and how it can be treated!

I would never give to cancer research, and I would and have never given to the United Way...I worked for a charitable organization (several, actually) and the money they keep locked away for "future research or needs" is astronomical compared to the money that's being dolled out like pennies to paupers.

I do give to Doctors Without Borders because I know it all goes to their travels, supplies, etc, or local soup kitchens, etc.

Anyway....each to his or her own....just my personal opinion....(ducking and weaving...)

[Patty Smyth]

I'm probably going to get into some hot water here, but to be brutally honest, I'm extremely concerned about all the money that's being fed into the foundation for breast cancer research. Can you imagine how much money is in their coffers? And what advances have they made? Yes, yes, these things take time, but I think they have enough for now, and considering that MORE women are DYING from HEART DISEASE than breast cancer, I feel that's the charity I want, finding out why, and how it can be treated!

I would never give to cancer research, and I would and have never given to the United Way...I worked for a charitable organization (several, actually) and the money they keep locked away for "future research or needs" is astronomical compared to the money that's being dolled out like pennies to paupers.

I do give to Doctors Without Borders because I know it all goes to their travels, supplies, etc, or local soup kitchens, etc.

Anyway....each to his or her own....just my personal opinion....(ducking and weaving...)

I agree with you. It's alright to wonder where the money goes and question why haven't their been the advances we hope for. When AIDS first appeared I remember so clearly them stating that there would be a vaccine in 10-15 years and a cure shortly after, it has now been 30. I have also heard doctors say that if men had "breasts" breast cancer it would already be cured. I also got peeved with the red cross and will no longer give to them after 9/11 when they came out and said they would not be giving all the money people dontated to the families because it was over 800 million and it was needed elsewhere.

We have to choose who we give to carefully.

[Shwa Girl]

I agree with you. It's alright to wonder where the money goes and question why haven't their been the advances we hope for. When AIDS first appeared I remember so clearly them stating that there would be a vaccine in 10-15 years and a cure shortly after, it has now been 30. I have also heard doctors say that if men had "breasts" breast cancer it would already be cured. I also got peeved with the red cross and will no longer give to them after 9/11 when they came out and said they would not be giving all the money people dontated to the families because it was over 800 million and it was needed elsewhere.

We have to choose who we give to carefully.

AIDS is a complex disease. It is a social, cultural and physical problem. I feel for those who are innocent children, who contract AIDS.

About 10% of men get breast cancer. These men are usually middle age. Younger men get testicular cancer, but there is no cure for this yet. Cancer cures is mixed in with politics and greed too.

Sorry to be such a downer in my post. Just giving the realities of it all.

[Shwa Girl]

However, if I am making a contribution to another charitable organization such as the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, I'm thinking that its head should not be in the same salary category as the aforementioned one at the university.

Interesting you mentioned the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Two years ago they got money because Mike's Hard Lemonade (alcoholic beverage) became their sponsor. Many doctors and such wrote to the foundation asking them to change their sponsor, because it looked bad.
Breast cancer, that is not due to your mom, grandmother, sister having it, has been linked to regular drinking of alcohol. Regular means once a week.

[walkonby]

Interesting you mentioned the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Two years ago they got money because Mike's Hard Lemonade (alcoholic beverage) became their sponsor. Many doctors and such wrote to the foundation asking them to change their sponsor, because it looked bad.
Breast cancer, that is not due to your mom, grandmother, sister having it, has been linked to regular drinking of alcohol. Regular means once a week.

Shwa Girl?

Am I reading this part correct? That drinking any alcohol at least once a week can contribute to getting breast cancer?? Wow! I never heard/knew about that.

[Lynn49]

Shwa Girl?

Am I reading this part correct? That drinking any alcohol at least once a week can contribute to getting breast cancer?? Wow! I never heard/knew about that.

Wow. I'd better check more often!

http://women.webmd.com/news/20090224...-risk-in-women

TRULY frightening!

OTOH...my best friend of over 15 years never touched the stuff and has recently been diagnosed with the worst possible disease out there: Lou Gehrig's Disease...!!! At least with cancer one has a chance. With this, none.

It seems that no matter what we do or DON'T do, it leads to something!
I also read somewhere that if we get to reach 70, our chances of living nicely past that age are pretty good! 8 years and counting!!!!

[Lynn49]

Shwa Girl?

Am I reading this part correct? That drinking any alcohol at least once a week can contribute to getting breast cancer?? Wow! I never heard/knew about that.

Wow. I'd better check more often!

http://women.webmd.com/news/20090224...-risk-in-women

TRULY frightening!

OTOH...my best friend of over 15 years never touched the stuff and has recently been diagnosed with the worst possible disease out there: Lou Gehrig's Disease...!!! At least with cancer one has a chance. With this, none.

It seems that no matter what we do or DON'T do, it leads to something!
I also read somewhere that if we get to reach 70, our chances of living nicely past that age are pretty good! 8 years and counting!!!!