Research Your Donations, please

[retiredhappy]

Someone mentioned upping their donations to the Humane Society after seeing one of those heart breaking ads they run on TV.

Remember that those ads, especially running in prime time, are EXTREMELY expensive so they are spending huge amounts of money on them. Unless the rules have changed, they would not be given free public service announcement time as they are requesting money. A while back I read an article warning people that not all humane societies are the same - that many of them spend the majority of their donation money on salaries to their upper management and very little actually on the animals. I donate but do it locally to my specific humane society.

I also quit donating to Blue Cross, etc when I read an article on how much their upper level management.

At Christmas I call my local battered women's shelter and ask how many women and children they have staying there and the sexes and ages of the children. Then make up individual packages for the women with toiletries and a package for each child with toys appropriate to their age. All this usually doesn't cost me much cause our shelter is small and there usually aren't a lot to women at one time. You can call your local police department, tell them what you want to do and they will give you a phone number for the shelter.

[judi]

Karen, donating to the shelter in the way that you do is a very good idea, and I think I will do that as well. I like the idea that things go directly to the ones who need it instead of to administrators. Thank you for posting this.

[BirdbyBird]

The local animal shelters are the ones that are usually the first on the scene. Others like our English Cocker National Rescue, Herschel's Golden Retriever Rescue in Louisville (GRRAND) or Sue's Collie Rescue specialize...but they are also more transparent and you can tell that you money donate is going to the animals and their care. So don't be taken in emotionally by the multi dollar ads. There are many many animals that need help and support, you can not help them all but at least make your $$$ go as far as you can.

[JudyJB]

One thing many women's shelters appreciate is business clothing. Good place to donate old business suits and dressy blouses for women who Must go on job interviews.

Also they often like suitcases as many women carry belongings in plastic bags and suitcases are more dignified.

Local is always better anyway.

[Bethers]

I wouldn't donate to United Way after they took over for Community Chest. The second kept the money in the Local community. With United Way you have no say where your donation goes. I donate to the Wisconsin Humane Society as I personally know how the money is used. I also used to do a lot of their fundraising, and we were all volunteers. I make my purchases on Amazon through smile.amazon and Amazon sends them a small portion from every purchase of mine.

I agree totally, always know who you are donating to and know how the money is used. Don't fall for the places putting out huge fundraising campaigns.

[gingerK]

http://charitywatch.org/


They give a "grade" to the non profits listed as to how they spend donations.

Also, I am not sure about donating suitcases as I have read that they could be a potential source of bed bugs. But I'm not 100% sure of that. Don't remember when or where I heard that.

[JudyJB]

For several of my working years, I contributed each Christmas to Michigan charity called Operation Good Cheer. There were absolutely NO administrative costs!! How it worked was that volunteers put together lists of all foster children throughout the state. Businesses passed the lists around and individuals or groups of individuals adopted a child or more. In our office of about 100 employees, one year we adopted 50, believe it or not. You were given the first name and last initial of a child and height and weight, along with a few details about why they were in foster care, such as dangerous family or abuse, etc. Each child listed 6 gifts they wanted, and you were supposed to purchase 3 items. If you purchased more than three, you wrapped them as 3 items so each child got an equal number of packages to open. (Except for bikes, of course.)

I shopped and bought gifts for teens that were leaving the system and who wanted dishes, sheets, and towels, winter coats, etc. plus maybe a game, and babies who needed clothing and toys and books. Two of my coworkers bought for a 15 year old mother and her baby. About two weeks before Christmas, you brought your wrapped gifts, labeled with the code of the identify and location of the child, and put into a clear large plastic bag. Packages were picked up by volunteers from trucking companies and delivered to a local airport where they were sorted for distribution. Private pilots flew them all over the state, where they were delivered by Michigan Child and Family Services. Nobody got paid for anything. I suspect there are other such programs around the country.

I spent about $100 each year, but other people would go in together and split the list. There was no suggested amount to spend, but for a lot of us, it was our primary charity for the holidays. It was really fun to be buying for an actual child, not just donating things into a bin or giving money and not knowing where it went. We ended up that one year with a lobby full of clothing, toys, and maybe 20 bikes.

[Bethers]

Another place to check your charity, although some smaller ones aren't there:
www.charitynavigator.org

[SoCalGalcas]

This is a very important subject. I never gave another penny to the United Fund after I found that tha President was flying back and forth on the Concord!,, Yes, give locally where you can see where your money. Is going. I will not donate to anyone whoadvertisises with big expensive ads on TV. Lyn

[dpf]

I won't donate to any of the places that have the commercials on TV or pay outrageous salaries to administrators. As you know I live in a very small town and majority of our public services are manned by volunteers. Often the fund raising efforts for new ambulance or fire department equipment are done by those volunteers because taxes don't cover the cost. I have quit making memorial donations to national causes and make all of them to our local fire department, ambulance or library.

[chalet05]

Once when I took things to the food bank and one of the volunteers told me they hated having a supply of diapers because people took them and 'returned' them to WalMart. Now I am leery and wonder how many gifts for children are 'returned'.

[retiredhappy]

One year I thought I'd take one of those tags off the Angel Tree in Walmart. You know the one where people put down what they need. The one I looked at was requesting Clinque makeup. Hell, I don't even buy it cause its too expensive. She also wanted some expensive gaming toy for her son. I put the tag back on the tree.

[carolb]

I'm deleting this post--sorry for my hissy fit

[Redetotry]

Carol, I'm so sorry (((HUGS))) I don't think anyone meant to imply you were unaware. I think many just wanted to tell of their experiences and say what they decided to do with their donations. And yes, certainly we have all had our moments of feeling that voice inside that said, "this time you should help." I once had a girl tell me in the parking lot at the grocery saying she needed gas to get back home to a military base and I gave her money, then saw an article in the paper later about her... Topics often take off in a thousand directions, and not seeing the other person sometimes makes it sound a whole lot different than what they mean. We all love you and hope you will forgive us soon.

[gingerK]

Carol, sent you a short pm. And I totally agree with what BJ said.