My mother who is truly upset about this election is no longer going to ..

[southernleftylady]

give to charities any longer.. she said that "charity begins at home" and with all this faith based organizations that bush want to take over she said that she wants to show them it will be alot harder than they think...

what do you think about this?
she said that we should save our own money for out own children... she is really mad saying these idiots voted against themselves... blah blah blah...

my feeling is its not the children's fault and thats who i usually give too .. but .. i did get laid off and money is VERY tight (although i do have a job now that only pays half of what i was making before :( ).. so i guess i should cut back on giving :(
your thoughts?

[Francesca]

1. try keeping your donations

local..in these venues a smaller donation has a bigger impact..

[TryingToWarnYou]

2. She is absolutely correct.

Charity does indeed begin at home. If I was unemployed, the last thing I would be doing with my money is giving it away. Thats nice and all, but really, you have to look out for yourself.

I wish I had thought to take this particular stand against United Way. My employer is a big donor to them. I should have just tacked a letter on to my paperwork telling them to please see GWB for my share.

[City Lights]

7. "please see GWB" is what I'm doing.

When I get a solicitation in the mail for a donation I am writing a little note on the contribution sheet and sending it back to them.

[Patiod]

13. Wow - love the new handle

[Jazzgirl]

9. Where I work the pressure is on to give to United Way.

I have not donated to UW since 1978 when a co-worker was threatened with losing her job if she didn't donate. I quit then. The last two years the pressure at work with their "campaigns" make departments compete against each other. They want 100% participation. Last year they pressured me so I said heres $15 bucks. I got a call a couple of weeks later saying gee, we don't accept anything under $25! I said...oh well.... This year my boss's boss was going to give me the $15 to donate! I said forget it, I'll give 'em $15 again. }( Anyway, you could donate online so I went to the page. Guess what...two weeks later I get a voice mail message that gee, for whatever reason they couldn't get the approval through on my credit card. Please call back with more info. Did I call back??!!?? Hell no! I can't stand 'em and won't give them a dime. I will purposely make it hard on them every year NOT to get my measley $15!

On edit, I always donate directly to the organizations of my choice. The AHA, American Cancer Society, a local women's shelter...Not any large organization that takes a chunk in "administrative" fees then doles out what they want!

[SoCalDem]

3. One to one charity is the best.. Call a local church

or ask your kids' teachers.. They can certainly steer you towards a family in need.. Adopt them for a year..

My women's group did this.. Everyone gets the "warm & fuzzies" when they donate for a Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas.. They have needs year round.. the kids need shoes, school clothe, school supplies, car repairs, electric bill-help..

[Libby2]

4. I'm with your mom

I already told Mr. Libby from now on, when the charities call, I will tell them that as long as this is a blood red state, I will not donate.

We do have several we donate to on a regular basis and will continue to do so.

[Dogmudgeon]

5. Give to secular charities

AIDS charities especially are non-religious.

There are probably many childrens' charities that are secular and don't buy into the Bush faith-based nonsense. Look around, and you'll probably find out who they are.

--bkl

[JI7]

6. there are many non religious charities and more liberal churches

that are about acceptance of diversity and helping all people . giving to those could strengthen religious groups that support same sex marriage, abortion rights , etc.

also, you can give to groups like the aclu, naral, etc.

[ObaMania]

8. Me too!

I refer them all to * . Started last week. Everything from Boy Scouts to Firefighters.

Especially w/ how *'s tax system treats middle-class DINKs. Donations don't do one f&*king thing for us.

Screw 'em.

[meti57b]

10. I do all my charitable giving to the SPCA and not the ones locally because

fortunately, they appear to have adequate funds.

I like animals, especially cats and dogs, and they have never had any say in the matters that affect them.

[nuxvomica]

11. My alma mater called last night for donations

I said this was a bad time to call me cuz I wasn't in the mood to donate to any Catholic organizations these days. I felt bad about speaking in anger but I had given money to BBV the other day and I reason that that expenditure will do more to improve the world than donating to some college development fund.

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. What do you want us to say? She's right?

Well, she's right. The Christian baptist churches are very selective about where their charities go. They may go on a limb and send missionaries to Brazil, but they'll turn a blind eye to the great need at home, particularly if it involves the minority community.

Catholic Churches have been known to buy real estate with their money, and I'm not sure it all goes to build churches.

Frankly, we need to start compiling lists of worthwhile charities. Ones that don't spend much money on administrative costs and are truly voluntary. It would be helpful if DUers who work with those organizations direct us accordingly.

[Patiod]

14. The American Friends Service Committee

does great, if often unpopular, work for peace in the world. And I'm damned certain that no "Faith Based Initiatives" would include a penny for this Quaker group.

The AFSC was very active against this war, and continues to be, all while supporting children in Afganistan, economic justice in the US, LGBT rights, and many other causes not usually taken up by other Christian churches.

They also held candlelight vigils on the night before the election to pray for peace, justice, and fair elections. It didn't work, but the spirit counts.

[Spangle]

15. Other ways to handle this.

There are many different types of donations. Money donations, part of that donation goes to the orgization to help with costs.

Since I've been on the "low end", giving actual donations isn't something I could do. Instead, I gave the way I recieved the "best."

1) I don't have yard sales for my kids clothes. I give them away. It's easy to find homes for kids clothes. If the family could have afford some kids clothes, it at least allows them to streach their money farther.

2) I send extra supplies to school. Boxes of pencils, etc. And I tell the teacher that it's for the KIDS. Buying them by the box is cheaper. More bang for the buck. IN the begining of the school year I try to buy plenty of "extras" when it goes on sell. I send it to school through out the year. And I ask if there is anything else they run short on. Teachers spend alot of their own personal money trying to help the kids. Teachers are not the highest paid persons....

3) Foster Kids. The older ones. Lots of toys are donated each year for the young ones. It's harder to buy for the older ones. Their things are more expensive. For the cheap stuff, it's personal items. And style items which is also personal. Donating gift cards from places like Wal-mart (I know, but it gives the teen a varity of choices) and to movies, CD stors, etc.

4) Items that would normally go in a yard sale... Musical items, speciality books like on CHESS, etc. I contact the Foster care group FIRST. I put it on a flyer and take the flyers to the office so the case workers can EACH have one. They know these kids BEST. So that old used guiter.... there might be a foster child with a musical intrest that is trying to save up to buy one. It's not like they have parents or family that will help out! What about that out dated computer... Clean it up and give it to a foster child. Throw in a printer.. they can now use it for typing their own school work, etc. May not be top of the line, but it's a start.

5) That old car people are wanting you to donate.. Your only going to get a $200 credit no matter WHO you give it to. If it works, talk to the foster care system. These kids have to attend school, plus work a job to get ready for "after." That includes buying a car.

6) Skills... do you have skills that would save someone in need money. Like the ablity to work on a car?? Let certain groups know. Give out vochers (sign them so that your not hit with alot of free work)

7) Is your job in the entertainment industry. Work on getting free tickets for certian groups/needs. I'm in central florida.. lots of entertainment here. The disney workers get so many free passes a year. For a childrens home, Disney was asked to donate tickets, the rest was made up by the employees "free passes". A disney employee made all the arrangements and gathered (begged) for the tickets. In a small town, there are movies, plays, etc. You know what is all going on. What about an art show? Someone has to take the effort or it doesn't get done. Children's homes, foster care kids, abuse shelters... Art shows, sports games, etc.. Think about it.

Everything doesn't come down to the $$$$. There are ways around that. I found out that orginizing events is saving those groups MONEY. They don't have to PAY someone to do it. And if funds are short.. they can't afford to pay someone to do it. So, even if YOU can't do these things.. you can keep an eye out for someone who can. Encourage THEM to take the task on and then be a "help mate" for the effort. You might not get kuddos, but YOU know what you did. Tee Hee...

8) OH and animal groups. There are people out there who are using their own time and money to help ferrel cats. Which means they have to go catch the animals and take them to the vet to get "fixed." THAT cost money. The vets can't afford to "fix" all those cats for free. These cats are released back into the wild. Generaly in a non-populated area where they can grow to an old age.. NOT BREEDING. These people also take in animals and FEED them. Find out if there is a group of some sort who is doing this in your area. Donate some $$$ to the effort. Either for the vet or for cages used to catch the animals. Or dropping off feed. How about trying to raise some money for the group. You have a circle of friends that might never have thought of this or donated. But in the end, the more cats that are not breeding in the wild, the better for all of us.

All these things fly under the radar. They generaly are looking at the cash donations. So it will look like your no longer giving. But in reality, your giving MORE. It's just that the groups are not getting a cut. Notice I didn't mention Church groups....

[lawladyprof]

16. This is the long range danger to religion that gov't funding poses

People are less inclined to be involved if the gov't is funding them. See an excellent historical book on the subject, The Churching of America. The authors Finke and Starke argue convincingly that it was separation of church and state that caused Americans to become so religious.