Salute to the bell ringers

from JoeUser Forums

Thanks to new restrictions on possible solicitation at some area food markets/grocery stores, I was worried that I might not find a bell ringer out during a convenient time this holiday season.  Apparently some grocery stores are more interested in being Grinches than they are in being good neighbors, at least in my opinion.

In any case, I was able to find a bell ringer out today and made a donation to the kettle.  I was happy to do so as I am 100% certain that when I drop cash into that kettle I won't be pestered with future snail mails or phone calls that are tracked back to me as an individual donor, as opposed to some charities that apparently feel that once I've made a donation to them I'm fair game to beg from over and over again every way they can.

I've said this before, and will say it again now.  Honestly, I'd probably be a lot more generous if not for the fact that some charities sell my name as a potential sucker, er, uh, donor, to other charities and because of that I get mailings from just about every organization under the sun begging for me to donate to them.  It isn't just the charities though, as I can easily put two and two together to determine that some businesses are selling my name too, and/or some state/county agencies/departments are doing so.  For example, the fact that the Humane Society is begging for $$ in the same year that we got the dog and cat and started them on wellness plans at a nationally known Vet business that runs out of a national known Smart pet store.  Uh, sure, right, that is one heckuva coincidince.  If not them, then it was certainly the county that I registered and licensed the animal in, no?

I wish I was made of money and could just throw large amounts at some of these charities, but then again some of them do a poor job of managing their organizations and they use much more overhead than they should.  Others are not so great about actually giving the money that is donated to the people it was intended to help.  In the end I've got to be somewhat careful about where I send money to so it gets where I really intended and helps the people I really wanted it to.

In the case of the bell ringers, well, I know that they do a lot of good.  There are other charities and many of them may be worthy, but I know that when I drop the money in the kettle anonymously it will eventually help someone.  So, again, I salute the bell ringers.  Thanks for being out there doing the work.

3,486 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

I worked administratively with the Salvation Army one year on the 'Angel Tree' program. They do a lot of good, but as with most charities they keep up to 90% of donations to run operations. I developed a rather cynical view of charities for a number of reasons that I won't get into here.

Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top

Most of the charities I donate to do not sell my name.  But they do keep coming back for more and more and more.  I have gotten to the point where it no longer bothers me.  I have only so much to give, and I have picked my major charities, so ignore the rest.  I give to others only as friends and relatives ask for special drives.

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

but as with most charities they keep up to 90% of donations to run operations. I developed a rather cynical view of charities for a number of reasons that I won't get into here.

90%?  That seems like a heck of alot. 

I try to give mainly to those organizations that are associated with the ECFA.  Because there are so many hands out there trying to separate us from our money it's wise to really know who you are giving to and how accountable they are with your money.  Afterall we are called to be good stewards of what God has blessed us with.  "Wise as serpents and harmless as doves" comes to mind here. 

http://www.ecfa.org/Content/WhatIsECFA

I stopped giving to various drives and such because I realized there is so much money floating around; much of it not being accounted for carefully.  While there are many secular causes such as health related charities (cancer, diabetes, special olympics etc) I tend to give to those charities that relate to both physical and spiritual needs (World Vision, Compassion, VOM,etc) because there are not as many that donate to these causes in comparison to the others. 

Salvation Army has always been a good organization from what I know of and I do drop money into those bright red kettles as well.  Again, they take care of both spiritual and physical needs.  One temporal; the other eternal.  Good stuff. 

 

 

 

 

Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top

but as with most charities they keep up to 90% of donations to run operations

I'm not sure where that figure comes from as when I research the organization they come up pretty well on administrative costs versus funds given to intended recipients.  With that said, they are looked at as discriminatory in some ways (socially) and some people don't care for them (much like the Boy Scouts and such) because of that.