time vs money

[ebbtide176]

i was just wondering how you feel about charity. do you donate regularly to an organization for feeding the hungry, housing the poor,etc? like Habitat for Humanity, Feed the Children, Salvation Army, Goodwill, and others?<br /><br />have you ever sponsored a child in a 3rd world country? or taken food to homeless? worked in a food kitchen for homeless? bought sacks of groceries to leave during xmas collections? given rides to hitchhikers? bought girlscout cookies? volunteered as a fireman? <br /><br />tell me about what it is you've done, i'm curious as to how many here do this kind of thing.<br /><br />me? i've given regularly & sponsored & bought, but not (yet) given of my time in projects for the community good (except for easter egg hunting)... <br /><br />(i didn't count neighborhood cleanup events, as it was as much personal gain as community)

 

[roscoe]

Re: time vs money

Donations to the scouts (I don't buy the candy/cookies, just donate $ and items to them.)<br /><br />Food, clothing, cash, and household donations for needy, thru my church. My church locates good people in need, who often have nothing. They set them up with everything. Beds, mattresses, dressers full of clothes, all kitchen items, mittens, coats, boots, furniture, food, toys, games, books, bedding, laundry detergent, towels, personal items, etc. This method seems to enable these people to really get a leg up. We delivered 3 vans FULL to a young family last month.<br /><br />I don't do the united way or any other BIG charities. I like to keep it local and know that it is not all getting used up on administrative costs and salaries.

 

[rudeafrican]

Re: time vs money

Here in South Africa, being largely 3rd world, the need for charity runs very high. By the same token though the fraud, theft and corruption by people collecting for charity is also very high. I therefor do the same as Roscoe and channel donations through our local church. That way I know it will be applied locally and the chances of it being misappropriated are a lot less.<br /><br />I am also a member of a military veterans organisation who looks after a number of veterans when they hit a rough patch in life. <br /><br />My big thing with donating to charity is that I like to remain anonymous. I always feel that people who like to attach their names to donations etc are only giving in order to receive something in return, ie recognition for being such a good guy. Whereas giving should be because you as a person truely care about the needs of others. Just my opinion, though.

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: time vs money

Hi Ebb<br /><br />I sponsor a 10 year old girl in Brazil through CCF, I'm a trustee of the local primary school and I tend to give cash to charities sporadicaly (when the spirit or whim takes me).<br /><br />I guess I should do more - as my life has been a fortunate one in comparison to so many others. In general I prefer to give time rather than cash but unfortunately time is what I have least available...

 

[OBJ]

Re: time vs money

Mornin' ebb....<br /><br />I'm a volunteer firefighter of near 20 years. I give to the United Way through payroll deduction. Been doing this for a number of years. My shop supports a few local groups in the area. <br /><br />Don't want to get off on a rant here, but....<br /><br />I think supporting groups is a good thing. It should be a personnel choice. I get really p*ssed when telemarketers call the shop asking for support of a charity I've never heard of before. For example, we , the shop, support our local Fraternal Order of Police just because they do good work. Then a telemarketer calls one day trying to get money for the State Highway Patrol something or other. I thought, if they got enough money to hire telemarketers, then they got enough money to support themselves. Didn't even know if this group was ligit or not. I politely declined.<br />Did ya' ever notice how many charities there are out there? Got to be in the hundreds. And it really burns my toast when I see a charity on a ballot for a levy in a small town or county. I'm not against charity by anymeans. But don't tell me I got to give to a charity cause it was voted for on a levy. If I had wanted to give to it, I would have in the first place. That's another "tax" we gotta pay. Like I said, it's a personnel choice. Don't make me "pay".<br /><br />OK...done ranting. Got my blood flowing so I'd better get to work. <br /><br />I'm curious...is there any particular reason any one of us give to a particular charity?

 

[DJ]

Re: time vs money

Last year-14% of my (after tax, based on gross) income went to various charities.<br /><br />Gee, I thought I was an evil, stingy Republican.

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: time vs money

For the past 3 years my wife and I have been involved with HandiRiders. We volunteer our time helping handicapped kids ride horses.<br />We also volunteer ringing bells at the mall during Christmas time over the Salvation Armys money pot.<br /><br />With as happy, lucky and healthy as my family and I have been. I get to feeling pretty guilty sometimes that I'm not doing enough.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: time vs money

I don't get into the charity scene a whole lot, but do at Christmas time at the local elementary school helping out with getting presents for families that can not afford to buy them.<br /><br />Also every July, they have a kids fishing tournament at my local lake and I go and rent 10 pontoons for the tournament and make sure that the kids "all" fish and understand a little about boat safety.<br /><br />I have people that take them out(I have my hands full with my 5 grandkids ), and let them fish.<br />I also get sponsors to donate small fishing poles for them that they get to keep after it's over.<br /><br />Makes me feel good to see these kids come back with some fish.<br /><br />Oh well, it's all good.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: time vs money

Charity work makes your heart feel good. I give of both time and money to local charities and have never regretted one minute of it. The Island is fairly small so no need to worry about fraudulent organizations here.<br /><br />I know some feel that there is no such thing as "disadvantaged" people and that we all have the same chance in life. Not true. People really do need our help. There is no better feeling in the world than to be able to extend a helping hand to someone who needs and appreciates it.<br /><br />And those of them who are "working the system" will someday get their comeuppins, 'cause what goes around, comes around.

 

[plywoody]

Re: time vs money

Ok, here goes. I have donated regularly to the United Way, and have many times, though not so much lately, volunteered for them. I like the United Way, as most of the money goes to local charities, and their admin costs are usually very low compared to most.<br /><br />And I give/donate to Goodwill on a reasonably regular basis, and I never not buy girl scout cookies, or contribute to local school fund raising efforts, etc including car washes and what have you.<br /><br />And if I had a recommendation to the Scouts from Australia, it would be to have car washes or bake sales or advertise for odd jobs, or some other way to earn the money for (in this case an outboard) as opposed to simply ask for donations for it. Just my opinion, but I will rarely if ever donate simple money when asked, except for the United Way, which I know, have a board of directors, and is more or less transparent in where the money goes. (With a few exceptions)