Why force kids to go out and beg?

[kparker1786]

Where is this? I went to Catholic schools and they never asked for money for dances. When they raised money for something it was for dancethon and then they money usually went to a charity to help people living in poverty but they always advertised that the school didn't keep the money

Brockville, Ontario. I guess times changed sadly.

[xXtiggerXx]

My hometown was horrible for this, every weekend there was at least one group of children in front of every store, sometimes 3 different ones, all competing for your $. Sometimes there was no adult supervision for them, or at best one adult walking up and down the street checking on them periodically. I always feel bad for the younger children standing out in the cold but I refuse to encourage child panhandling. Selling a good or service is one thing but standing there begging with a bucket teaches them nothing.

For anyone interested, the Canadian Revenue Agency has a cool search tool where you look up any registered charity and they tell you how much $ they raise, where it goes, and how much their employees are paid. For an example, I was pretty disappointed that only 4% of Unicef`s earnings goes to the charitable program while 76% ($51,728,165) go to "Gifts to other registered charities and qualified donees". Many of the other big charities are the same.
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/.../menu-eng.html

[sweet sparrow]

There was an article in our local paper about children soliciting donations for a fake charity, warning about fraud. They were supposed to be equipped with pamphlets and information, not knowing that the charity doesn't exist.

And on Friday, I had to walk by a Walmart and a grocery store, both with two entrances, so four pairs of children soliciting donations for Scouts or Air Cadets within 100 meters of each other. Between them and cashiers at WM and PC employees chasing me down to sign up for their card, it makes me want to avoid people while shopping lately. It's all a bit much.