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Thread: If you've ever given to charity..........

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    Freebie Princess FreebieChick's Avatar
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    If you gave to a charity, like for missing kids, the only kids you
    just helped were the fundraising company's employees' kids...

    The Los Angeles Times did a major takedown yesterday of charities’ fundraising expenses, and it turns out that when they hire a company to do it, around 85 cents of the dollar (and often more than that) stays by contract with the fundraiser. In a few cases, there’s a negative return. (Yup, you give $100; the fundraiser keeps it all and charges the charity a fee, and all the charity gets is the name and address of the suck–uh . . contributor.)

    Actually, you can read more about it here:

    http://www.latimes.com/news/printedi...,1801877.story

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    Sky Watcher swouper2's Avatar
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    Yup, happens all the time - one of my BIGGEST pet peeves - but in Canada, they are required to inform you of the amount of your contributions going to administrative costs (ie - their salaries) if you request it. You'd be surprised at how many charities have admin costs over 85%.

    If you want to support a charity, just ask about it's financial records.

    Some I know are really good are...

    - Terry Fox Foundation (mostly all volunteers, and even their office furniture and computers are second hand)

    - Canadian Cancer Society

    - Preston's Road Race (small one - but 100% of money raised goes to families whose children are going through cancer treatment) (My neighbour helps work on this one - all volunteers)

    - PEO - money goes to help women go to university and college - pretty much all volunteers

    Sometimes, though, you have to realize what the purpose of the charity is. Big Brothers has a high percentage of $ going to admin, not because they're getting rich, but because their mandate is to administrate a program, and not to give money to the kids directly. So even though a high percentage of contributions are administrative, they don't fundraise as much as many others, and strive to keep their costs down.

    I used to work in not-for-profit, and it saddens me to see some charities paying 6 and 7 figure salaries to people who don't even do any work.
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    Goddess Icyblackkat's Avatar
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    I regularly give to the Sick Kids Foundation and have never heard anything bad about them, the web site even claims to have made a grant of $62.5 million to The Hospital for Sick Children in 2005/2006.
    I wasn't aware that they are forced by law to disclose their financial reports, so I've email the Sick Kids to ask them to send theirs. I'll let you know what I find.

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    Smart Canuck Chantal444k's Avatar
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    I never give cash to charities.
    I give to things like the food bank, or donate clothes to the JDRF hat they sell to places like valu village for the money, or my time a worthy cause like the Santa Fund.
    I never felt comfortable giving cash.
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    Canadian Guru harkatsmom's Avatar
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    These stories are so frustrating

    This is exactly why I am very cautious when giving money to charities.

    I am like Chantal and would much rather give my time, or donate things...
    Even the animal shelters need, and very much appreciate free pet food, and supplies

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    Freebie Princess FreebieChick's Avatar
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    Looking fwd to hearing about it Icyblackkat!
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    Canadian Women Rock travel-mum's Avatar
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    Thanks! My husband gives to all kinds of charities, and it really peeves me when I don't even know if they are legit or not. I'm going to show him the article!

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    Brass Monkey! caitfoster's Avatar
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    The children's charities that help war torn countries are REALLY REALLY bad for this! Most children never see that money.

    Throughout the year I collect toys, pencils, school supplies and send them off near christmas to Operation Christmas Child. You make up as many shoe boxes as you like, fill them according to age and pay the 5$ shipping fee per box (not bad at all) and they go to those third world countires. My cousin went one year to give out the boxes. She said it was the most amazing thing.

    I also collect bags of pet food/treats and make a donation three times a year to the shelter in our city. I donate clothes and essentials like soap, tampons, pads, to Women in Crisis.

    I give to charities that I think do the most work, or am paying them back for the help they gave me.
    Remember that even though pets are here for such a short time they teach us things we would never be able to learn in many lifetimes on our own.

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    Banned - lol Scooter's Avatar
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    I know this may sound bad, but I don't give to charities.

    The reason is that for every hundred dollars you contribute, maybe a dollar actually gets to whom it's supposed to benefit.

    The rest is spent on advertising, shiny promotional brochures, calendars, pens, pins, tv spots, radio ads, stationery, office supplies, computer stuff, on and on -

    but more insidiously, salaries and earnings for fundraising directors. Some of those moguls actually make six figures a year from funds raised while they travel about, talking and networking and socializing in the process of scaring up even more money from donators. And despite decades of this sort of thing going on, we are no closer to a cure for anything. What a game.

    And any drug treatments found by research aided by donated money are usually too expensive for the patients that need them - who are dying of that exact condition. Because now the drug companies are running their own money game based on the research results.

    To me, to earn a living on the backs of dying or suffering people under the disguise of fundraising is reprehensible and despicable in the highest. Jerking people's heartstrings and playing on personal tragedies to encourage donation is sick. And when I give 100 dollars to help a cancer patient, I did NOT give it to be spent on paper and pens and crap.

    I know awareness must be generated and offices must be run, but these folks often go overboard and have corporations and advertisers flocking around them like vultures looking for the 'good P-R' image of being seen contributing to the cause. Just so customers will like them more and buy more toasters or cellphones or whatever. Makes me wanna projectile vomit.

    As well, researchers see almost none of your money. Their pay typically comes from publishing their results in papers and affiliating their work with a university or corporation. It is the university or corporation that pays them, not the donated money. Lab supplies/equipment are also purchased or leased by the researchers.

    That's why I have four computers in my home running 24 hours a day and seven days a week, running the Folding@Home program for Stanford University's Biochemistry department. I'm contributing direct research results this way to researchers, giving them the data they need to help find cures instead of wasting my money. I don't get paid for this and I recieve no recognition. But I know I'm helping to get real results.

    BTW, SC has been considering starting a Folding team. If anyone might be interested, PM me. I'm currently in discussions with Boo about a team for our great site.

    Bah, I've ranted enough now, time to see what other stuff is going on in SC before I get too worked up.

    Linux Registered User #426194

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    Canadian Genius Skippy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Icyblackkat View Post
    I regularly give to the Sick Kids Foundation and have never heard anything bad about them, the web site even claims to have made a grant of $62.5 million to The Hospital for Sick Children in 2005/2006.
    I wasn't aware that they are forced by law to disclose their financial reports, so I've email the Sick Kids to ask them to send theirs. I'll let you know what I find.
    I've seen whomever in Oshawa and Toronto with Sick Kids Clipboards soliciting funds.I suspect they are not doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. However,that may be my cynicism.

    Personally I donate stuff to Food Banks,and Outreach Centres. Usually when there is a good sale on soup,kraft dinner,paper towels or kleenex.

    I also donate to thrift stores in rough areas.

    Scooter made a valid point about overhead, because I bought a wall unit from an organization, thinking I was helping them. However, the guy I dealt with had a new truck with their logo over it.

    When my friend questioned him, he was told it was leased for some obscene amount of money per month! and was needed for exposure!

    Last time I looked the Sally Ann and other groups drove clunkers!

    Needless to say I was disappointed I had dealt with them.

    That said, Do Not let any of these negatives stop you from helping out where needed, and as you are led.

  11. #11
    Boo Radley Conspirator roseofblack25's Avatar
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    scooter what is a folding team?

    personally we dont give money either nothing i hate more than people coming door to door...and now that we live in the middle of nowhere they have to drive here and they all have nice shiny new cars...but i did the operation christmas child and the food bank etc...anything where you bring things to them not give someone who came to your door money because i figure it doesnt go where it should anyways.

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    Banned - lol Scooter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by roseofblack25 View Post
    scooter what is a folding team?
    Roseofblack, here's your answer. This infovideo was produced by one of the Folding teams, the "Folding Frogs":



    I currently fold as Scooter for the PCLinuxOS team.

    In this case, we would set up a team for SC in the Folding system, and members of SC would download the Folding@Home program, install it, and at the setup, enter the SC team number and then their SC member name. The program runs by itself, silently and does not interfere with other programs or your computer. Once you run it, forget about it. It does the rest.

    More details later. Watch for an announcement thread. I don't want to hijack FreebieChick's thread with this. Back to the charity discussion!

    Linux Registered User #426194

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    Boo Radley Conspirator roseofblack25's Avatar
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    LOL ok sounds neat!
    but yikes @ downloading LOL stupid dial up

    ok back to charity discussion LOL

    Search and win with SWAGBUCKS!

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    CaNewbie doxbrown's Avatar
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    Charity doing great work to helping orphan children and poor people also. So i will giving a my money, time, food and more to helping orphan children or poor people. And i also create a blood donation camp and more work for helping to all.
    Life's motto just don't care

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    Smartie Canuck greentires4me's Avatar
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    When I did Katimavik in 2005-2006 I still gave out charity donations in the form of food, time, love, respect, company, and a smile...you know with all these things we see these days its wonder how some families seem to make even ends meet. I have always given my time out to help people in need but unnoticeable by others always seen without efforts of others they wouldn't be able to feed or clothe their family some times not even keeping a roof over their head. I have also paid for kids to go to camp because their parents couldn't afford it but I knew that those kids would cherish it like I did once.

    I once heard this line "it takes a village to raise a child"
    Last edited by greentires4me; Fri, May 4th, 2012 at 05:23 PM.
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