Charities and charity collectors?

Question

There has been in the past a lot of negative press regarding charities and the actual amount of donated cash that goes to paying salaries etc leaving very little to good causes.

We all know this happens but thankfully not all charities are the same.

Problem is who do you trust as they all seem to have a charity no, and you dont want to seem tight, and there are so many charities that are campaigning for good causes it is impossible to give to all.

Personally I would rather donate my time rather than cash.

Answer 1

I'm already a Guide Leader, so I'm giving 3 hours a week or more to the Guide Association. I also give a h**l of a lot of money because our treasurer is very bad and I'm never repaid for what I buy (craft stuff, deposits for camping etc).

I will give money on the street only to charities whose work I support, this is humanitarian aid, children, cancer and the elderly.

I have had two bad experiences with local charities in the street, strangely they were both children's charities:

1. I was on the phone walking through the centre of town when one came up walking alongside me and started telling me about his charity. I was blatantly on the phone, but he would not stop until I told the person I'd ring them back and told him very firmly "No thank you". Ordinarily, I'd have at least listened and put an e-mail address down for a newsletter, but he was so rude I didn't even do that.

2. Again, I was walking through town in a rush because I needed to catch a second bus out of town and I was already running late. I acknowledged the guy with "Sorry, I'm in a hurry". But he grabbed my arm and said "It's only a quid" or something like that. I was so appalled that he grabbed me that I panicked and went into a nearby shop until I'd collected my thoughts. I then looked around for a possible supervisor, but there wasn't anyone, there was a police man, but I wasn't sure what would happen if I told them, eg. a caution, charges etc?

Answer 2

me and my son stand outside Woolworth's every year with Marie Carie Cancer Care tins collecting money.

the people who give are usually people who have had experiences of cancer, either themselves or family and friends.

children give as well, which is really touching.

my son will approach anyone who is smoking and really try to point out CANCER!!!!

i donate to as many charities and homeless people as i can.  

i am giving, and if only a little gets to the people its supposed to help then at least its a little.

Answer 3

You can give cash but make sure you go to a official store(e.g. Oxfam), not door collectors. Because remember the Madelin Mcann incident,   where a lady was going around peoples houses saying she was collecting for them, but she wasn't.

But you still should give your time

Answer 4

Rather than risk giving your money to a collector, I agree donte your time.  I do that and its much more satisfying than just handing over the money.

Answer 5

Goods or services are a better option. I personally donate pencils to The Pencil project (www.thepencilproject.com) because I know they will be put to good use and that children can lift themselves out of poverty through education.

The gift of your time is priceless. Best of luck to you.

Answer 6

Do not give cash,go volunteer and give your time if that is what you truely want to do.

Even registered charities have overheads.So a good 50 to 60 per cent goes in Admin and overheads.

There are Tax concessions on giving to charities.seek those out if you are say donating a direct debit,say like those two pounds a month schemes for water for kids in Africa etc.

Today we are bombarded with requests for charities and i agree with your attitude,time donated helping is more valuable and a good use of resources.It will make you feel good too.

Answer 7

For the money route: make a giving plan every year, or every six months, or every holiday season, even if all you can give is $20. Making a plan makes giving an integrated commitment that you really  do regularly (rather than just meaning  to do sometime ), it keeps you from giving money just whenever anyone asks, and it keeps you from losing track of your funds and any difference you might be making. It makes it easier to feel like you are really helping, and it makes it easier to say no to other appeals (and you will have to say no at some point).

You can also engage in fundraising activities on behalf of an organization, but be sure you talk to the organization FIRST, to make sure they agree with what you want to do on the organization's behalf. DON'T try to organize a walkathon, fun run, danceathon, benefit concert, special event, whatever unless you have been a part of someone else's walkathon, danceathon, fun run, benefit concert, special event, whatever; you need to be experienced in holding these kinds of events before you try to lead the effort yourself (many of these events end up losing money!). If you are a teen, consider pledging some or all of the money you (or even with a group of your friends) raise in a period baby sitting, dog walking, dog washing, yard work, house cleaning, car washing, etc. to an organization (and, again, talk to the organization FIRST to ensure they are comfortable with your doing this on the organization's behalf).

If you aren't sure where to start with financial donations, then I say start local: think about what issues are dearly important to you, and look for an organization in your area that addresses that issue. With the Internet, that's incredibly easy now. If you are in the USA, you can also call up your local United Way and ask them if they know of a nonprofit organization that addresses such-and-such -- United Way agencies tend to know all the nonprofits in an area, not only the ones they support. Phone book yellow pages are another resource you can use. If you are concerned about the organization's financial management, ask to see the organization's latest annual report.

If you want to go national or international, that's great, but go with a reputable organization, one that you know does good work, either because you have seen the organization profiled in the press, or you have a credible associate who has worked or volunteered there -- don't just rely on the appeal letter to make your decision. Again, if you are concerned about financial management, ask for an annual report.

Also, don't let anyone try to make your cause unimportant compared to some other cause -- you are NOT contributing to the homeless situation by giving your money to a nonprofit opera company, nor are you depriving hospice care by giving your money to an animal shelter. Your heart and passion is YOURS, and whatever cause moves you deeply and that you feel is important to help others, your community, the world, etc., is worthwhile.

For volunteering: VolunteerMatch (http://www.volunteermatch.org), Idealist (http://www.idealist.org), Change.org (http://www.change.org) and CraigsList (http://www.craigslist.com) all list volunteering opportunities with thousands of organizations. There's also this government sponsored site (http://volunteer.gov/gov/) which provides volunteer positions through USA federal land agencies like Fish & Wildlife, Forest Service, National Parks, etc. Also, contact your local volunteer center; you can find this via the Points of Light Foundation web site (http://www.pointsoflight.org/centers/).

Answer 8

Sadly, your question shows a complete lack of understanding about the work of charities. How can anyone imagine that it is possible to deliver high quality services to beneficiaries relying solely on volunteers? Yes, volunteers are a valuable resource, but they cannot fill all the roles necessary in all organisations.

When you donate money to give a holiday to a sick child, feed the starving in Africa or provide specialist nursing to cancer patients, how do you imagine that all that is going to be delivered without trained staff, someone to manage the staff, provide the HR and finance functions and, indeed, raise money to help more people?

I suggest that anyone who doubts me gets involved in actually running a charity in order to find out what is actually involved.

Answer 9

Charity that is concealeth appeaseth the wrath of God.

Prayers lighten the heart, and charity is proof of Iman (Faith), and abstinence from sin is perfect splendor; the Kuran is a proof of gain to you, if you do good, and it is a detriment to you if you do wrong; and every man who riseth in the morning either doeth that which will be the means of his redemption or his ruin.

Charity is a duty unto every Muslim. He who hath not the means thereto, let him do a good act or abstain from an evil one. That is his charity.

When you speak, speak the truth; perform when you promise; discharge your trust; commit not fornication; be chaste; have no impure desires; withold your hands from striking, and from taking that which is unlawful and bad. The best of God's servants are those who when seen, remind of God; and the worst of God's servants are those who carry tales about, and do mischief and separate friends, and seek for the defects of the good.

Whoso hath left debt and children, let him come to me; I am their patron, I will discharge his debt and befriend his children.

Every good act is charity.

Doing justice between two people is charity; and asisting a man upon his beast, and lifting his baggage is charity; and pure, comforting words are charity; and answering a questioner with mildness, is charity; and removing that which is an inconvenience to wayfarers, such as thorns and stones, is a charity.

Every good act is charity; and verily it is a good act to meet your brother with and open countenance, and to por water from your own water-bag into his vessel.

Your smiling in your brother's face is charity; and your exhorting man to virtuous deeds is charity; and your prohibiting the forbidden is charity; and your showing men the road, in the land in which they lose it, is charity; and your assisting the blind is charity.

Answer 10

never give cash set up a DD