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georgie

"I will suck it dry, but a girl has gotta draw the
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Donations.

I heard this topic discussed on the radio yesterday and thought it was interesting.

A lady said every year she finds SO many groups she wants to donate too and then tries to find the one with the "biggest need"... then time passes and she doesn't ever end up giving like she intends to do.

I thought it was interesting because there are so many worthy causes everywhere and there is no way to contribute to them all...so how do you choose?

They said to donate to what is closest to your heart. What really pulls you... If you have a heart for kids...donate to kid causes...if you have a heart for a disease...donate to disease causes, etc.

What are your thoughts? Do you have a hard time with this too? I know I do!
 
It is hard to decide, isn't it? I feel like we can only donate to five or six organizations and I tend to focus on the causes that are most important to me and then, frankly, think about which of the organizations that make that cut are least likely to receive broad support. Somehow it makes me feel like my donation might matter more to them.
 
Sad but you need to find out which organizations actually put the donations where you intended them to go. Years ago I went to Toys R Us and filled 4 shopping carts full of stuff to donate to Childrens Memorial Hospital of which my son was an outpatient. I'm a couponer, yes, I got 90% off the toys. DS doctor in the Psych Dept. asked me to make the donation to the Psych hospital because they get NOTHING of the donations that come in. She told me there are many mentally ill children who LIVE there and get no toys or anything. We made sure that is where our donation went. My other donations go to organizations and foundations that have helped educate me on my son's disabilities.
 
Since I have more time than money, my donation is volunteering. These days it means I can only volunteer where I can take my boys.

When I do donate it is goods as those (I hope) are a lot harder to misuse and will probably actually get to the intended recipient.
 
I try to donate as local as possible and NOT just at christmas time! Just this year my DH and i set aside a little bit of money each month and if we find a need we have money to help. Example- heard about a family who was struggling, not sure if they would be able to attend the homeschool coop next year, we paid their bill. Another family we know dad lost his job, we sent an annonamus gift card. Did the CW chistmas give beacause I KNOW the people it's going too.

I was reading an article in the newspaper a few days ago about how there are soooo many chairities and so many people asking for money that its hard to know where it's actually going. Will my money directly help cancer patients, homeless, kids etc or is alot of it going to admin costs? it was interesting
 
canadia said:
Since I have more time than money, my donation is volunteering. These days it means I can only volunteer where I can take my boys.

When I do donate it is goods as those (I hope) are a lot harder to misuse and will probably actually get to the intended recipient.
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It makes for an awesome "balance" (not that a true balance is ever possible :lol:)
:dance:
There are so many that have more money than time and so they give in the form of money or gifts.
 
jschwemi said:
I try to donate as local as possible and NOT just at christmas time! Just this year my DH and i set aside a little bit of money each month and if we find a need we have money to help. Example- heard about a family who was struggling, not sure if they would be able to attend the homeschool coop next year, we paid their bill. Another family we know dad lost his job, we sent an annonamus gift card. Did the CW chistmas give beacause I KNOW the people it's going too.

I was reading an article in the newspaper a few days ago about how there are soooo many chairities and so many people asking for money that its hard to know where it's actually going. Will my money directly help cancer patients, homeless, kids etc or is alot of it going to admin costs? it was interesting
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I KNOW! That is so frustrating! It is so hard to know for sure!
 
I have "a fund." I put money into it throughout the year. It is a constant percentage of what I earn (my income, not DH's). I use it for direct donations. Direct to real people, I mean. Most of the time they don't know it was me. I have done things similar to Jackie, pay someone else's fees for something. I bought choir clothes 2 years in a row for a kid that goes to school with middle kid. I have an elderly lady across the street from me and the town guy rings my bell when she doesn't pay her water bill (she only does this at holiday time, spends the $ on gifts for grandkids I think) and I pay that. Stuff like that.

I do not donate money to organizations, though I have in the past used "fund" money to pay OOP for good pet deals to donate to the cat rescue my vet sponsors.
 
We give throughout the year to local organizations--one that helps people with disabilities and one that helps children with childhood cancer which my family was helped by when my brother was younger. I am very wary where money goes and who it actually helps with many of the larger organizations.
 
I am a part of a service oriented sorority so I am always giving by service or cash through out the year as we get requests constantly. We were just talking about the fact that we have no idea how much we give, but I budget outside of annual dues for abut $100 a month for various sorority related things and probably 50% of that is a direct donation from us and the other 50% is pooled funds that come through the organization. I am going to try to keep better records next year to have for tax purposes
 
I find it easier to narrow it down after looking at what percentage of any particular group's donations goes to helping people, and how much goes to administration. United Way is pretty bad in this regard. I love giving to Toys For Tots -- everything I give will go right to a kid.

Like Canadia, we also donate our time.
 
We usually do a mix of animal shelters, the rescue we got our dog from, and children's hospitals. DH's favorite is Childsplay, which posts toy wishlists from children's hospitals through Amazon. We usually switch off between hospitals near here and near our families in AZ. I also do the March of Dimes March for Babies every spring. I join my cousin in CA's family team for her late newborn son and walk with my preemie son.
 
Right now we don't have the extra money for donations but we do share our time and energy. DS and I both volunteer at church events, school events, and 4h sponsored volunteer events. Its amazing the people we meet and it feels great to help. I think its important to teach DS to help and respect others.
 
I love giving actual gifts to actual families...

The problem comes in when you find out about families who actual milk the system... Oh, we have no money... We are a needy family... And then you see...

They get various assistance and in some cases...ALOT of assistance...

Then you see they have all the newest electronics and gadgets and expensive clothing/accessories.... And then they say they have no money to buy their kids a gift.

My house needs alot of work done on it, I don't have a home computer or home internet... I don't even have a sofa for petes sake... I'm so busy trying to be generous and giving and then find that the people who "are in need"... they are just leaches. Pisses me off!


In the end I figure that it is between them and God.

Point being... That even though you may give a toy to a kid... It doesn't mean they are needy. It may just be that their paretns are leaches.

Still I will giving jofully. I know there is NO WAY to know for sure that your kindness is really going for the less fortunate. In the end it is up to the big guy!
 
We rarely donate to large organizations, but when we do it is almost always the Make A Wish Foundation.

We always pick one kid off of the Angel Tree at our village hall during the holidays. DD14 & I shop for the kid & I usually tuck a gift card to the grocery store in there for the parent(s). Closer to the cut off date, I call to see if there are any kids left. If there are, I try to buy for the rest of them, or ask my friends to take one if there are a lot left. Usually there aren't a lot left & there is someone at the village who also makes sure all of the kids are covered.

I just prefer to give to individuals. When we go to Chicago, DH knows to bring extra cash because I always buy sandwiches for the homeless. Sometimes we put together "survival bags" and hand those out. (Toothbrush, toothpaste, travel deodorant, stretchy gloves, granola bar, etc.)

With two in college this year & the two new kids, $ is a little tight. My DD's are getting less so we can be sure to do the angle tree. Not a big deal to them, my kids know they get a lot throughout the year.
 
georgie said:
I also wish the Salvation Army and Boy Scouts, etc would get card readers!


I very rarely have CASH on me in this day and age!
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I heard boy scouts does have a card reader. I know when we sold popcorn their was an app that could be used to take cards--we didn't use it because we wanted to make sure that we didn't have any personal information--since everything was so new (our pack decided not to use it)
Though someone else told me--that next year we might--and that Scouts has a way to use readers.
(On the popcorn sheet--it was on the bottom of the sheet and people could scan it)
 
I hear what you're saying, Georgie. That's why I like my village's Angel Tree. Probably half of the requests are for socks, underwear, etc. Rarely is there anything "over the top," like a game system. It's mostly reasonable requests, many of which are basic clothing needs.
 
I don't have much to give but when I do it usually will go to people I know, not in an obvious way, but in the way of stock pile when I know things are rough for someone just telling them I don't have room etc.

I'm a biggie on getting some meals for people when I end up going downtown to Chicago, it is so sad to see someone so appreciative of some kind of meal & a cup of coffee.

I also give to Veterans causes. Not far from where I live is a VA home that I take a lot of stock pile to. It always kills me when you give a donation and they say "thank you" ... I just feel that they have no need to thank me, I always thank them.
 
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