Non religious charities?

lazygal

I wanted to donate money to a food bank after seeing a TV programme about them. I googled ones in Dublin and Crosscare came up. As soon as I saw the website: http://www.crosscare.ie/joomla/ I realised it was a Catholic charity. Much and all as I'm sure it does good work, having visited the Vatican I know the church isn't short of a few bob and could well support (well meaning I'm sure) charities in its name.

It's very, very difficult to find charities with no religious leanings at all. I donated to a local charity, but found out its connected to the local church and the parish priest is the nominal head, even though there's no information about its Catholic connections in its literature.

Any non religious charities people know of (no connection at all, even in the dim and distant past)? Or is this really nit-picking, and should I just give in the right spirit, pardon the pun?

Naz_st

Only one I can think of off the top of my head would be Medicins San Frontieres, but I'm sure there are plenty more.

MrPudding

I am slightly biased, as this is the charity that I volunteer for, but these guys are non-religious.

http://serv.org.uk/oxon-bucks-northants/home.html

Clearly this is a UK chairty, but it is rumoured that a Dublin branch will be starting up soon.

MrP

doctoremma

Naz_st wrote: »

Only one I can think of off the top of my head would be Medicins San Frontieres, but I'm sure there are plenty more.

These are one of my chosen charities. You might find the international ones more secular in nature, simply because they cover all types of cultures and peoples. Things like Amnesty and UNICEF are winners.

However, that does not solve the problem of local charitable donations, although admittedly easier here than in Ireland. I tend towards local hospices (in which case, I care not one jot if there is a religious foundation to it) and women's shelters and refuges (usually secular).

A quick Google gave me this - any interest for you?
http://www.dubsimon.ie/Home.aspx

nozzferrahhtoo

lazygal wrote: »

Any non religious charities people know of (no connection at all, even in the dim and distant past)? Or is this really nit-picking, and should I just give in the right spirit, pardon the pun?

Atheist Ireland have recently been promoting a campaign of being "Good without god". Several community outreach initiative are in the works and so forth.

As part of this they have been working on a community group on the Kiva Website. Here you do not really give money to charity but invest your money in loans to people around the world. You make no profit on this and risk that your loan will not be paid back... but for the most part you are using your money to help people get a start they might not otherwise get.

I think this is better than charity in many ways. Rather than just giving money to people to waste you are investing it in people who really are trying to get themselves self sufficient. Atheist Ireland Newsletter tells you more about it here.

I joined the group myself and my first loan was to a Woman in Rwanda who was starting a business of buying and selling second hand shoes and her first repayment installment is due on the 1st October.

It is an interesting idea and it might appeal to you OP if you are looking for a religion free method of giving people a charitable hand inlife. The Atheist Ireland members together have invested 2000usd in the system already to various people.

Rev Hellfire

https://www.jackandjill.ie/

and

http://www.enableireland.ie/

Are two local charities well worth your consideration.

Fortyniner

We support this one as well..

http://www.oxfamireland.org/

Kooli

I think St. Vincent de Paul do absolutely incredible work, and that for me is more important than withholding money from them because they are religious.

If a secular organisation starts to match their reach, scope, and achievements I will of course move my monthly donation. But only in a situation where all else is equal. But until then, I think helping those that need it most in the most effective way is more important.

Pace2008

Kooli wrote: »

I think St. Vincent de Paul do absolutely incredible work, and that for me is more important than withholding money from them because they are religious.

If a secular organisation starts to match their reach, scope, and achievements I will of course move my monthly donation. But only in a situation where all else is equal. But until then, I think helping those that need it most in the most effective way is more important.

Yeah, I'd definitely agree with you there. I can't comment on the workings of Catholic charities outside of Ireland but I certainly wouldn't let your religious leanings, or lack thereof, stop you from donating to SVP.

Kidchameleon

Most charities are in it for themselves anyway weather they are religious or not. OP, lets say there is a guy on the street, not an alcoholic or on drugs. Would you refuse him a few quid if he was religious? Also, I think you will find that any charities run by the church will help people irrespective of their beliefs. Lets say OP that you fall on hard times, do you think a Christian run charity would refuse to help you just because you are atheist?

Bannasidhe

Generally I give to either the VdeP or Cork Penny Dinners. TBH I don't care if they have a religious ethos or not - neither proselytize and do excellent work in the local community. CPD just feed hungry people. That's it. I will not donate to a charity that spends most of it's income on admin. It's a no brainer for me.

pwurple

I use Kiva as well, for a couple of years. It seems like a good setup and doesn't seem to be religious. There could well be religious intervention at some point in the chain though, and I am sure the recipients are religious for the most part.

In the two years I have used it, I have only once not been repayed.

Local hospice is my other one, but they are religious.

B9K9

found this thread due to similar concerns (no pun)
VdP seems worthwhile as does MSF.
I though oxfam was CofE?
went down town with a social network group to do a good turn for the poor bastard street people. Ended up handing in stuff to Simon.

ShooterSF

At this time of year what better than the santa strike force? Oh and for all year round Kiva.org where you can lend interest free loans from $25 up to start up businesses in the developing world which I think is a much better idea than continuous aid and also it's completely transparent as every penny you lend goes to the loanee with an optional extra donation to the organisation itself for upkeep.

FISMA

lazygal wrote: »

It's very, very difficult to find charities with no religious leanings at all.

You say that as if it is a bad thing.

As one of the faithful, I think it would be great if the Atheists and Theists, instead of the normal challenges, challenged each other in generosity and charity towards the poor.

Everyone wins then.

lazygal

FISMA wrote: »

You say that as if it is a bad thing.

As one of the faithful, I think it would be great if the Atheists and Theists, instead of the normal challenges, challenged each other in generosity and charity towards the poor.

Everyone wins then.

That's what I'm trying to do, without needing a organisation giving the nod to a supernatural being on my dime. I see the proselytizing and desire to 'save' people as totally separate from being a charitable person.

ShooterSF

ShooterSF wrote: »

At this time of year what better than the santa strike force? Oh and for all year round Kiva.org where you can lend interest free loans from $25 up to start up businesses in the developing world which I think is a much better idea than continuous aid and also it's completely transparent as every penny you lend goes to the loanee with an optional extra donation to the organisation itself for upkeep.

SSF is great, I am amazed at how much they have got this year over in AH.

Kiva sounds brilliant.

Fortyniner

Oxfam is a secular charity..

'Oxfam Ireland works with people around the world to end the injustice of poverty. We are an independent and secular not-for-profit organisation.'

http://www.mycharity.ie/charity/oxfamireland/

Orion

I support charities based on what they do rather than their base. There have been shoebox appeals I have refused to support because they add a bible to every box. If a religious founded charity uses it to push their religion I will not assist them. But there are plenty of religious founded charities that don't do that. That said I do lean towards secular/humanist charities because I'm cynical about the motives of some charities.

Kiva looks fantastic - never heard of that before. That's the father-in-law's and the mad aunt's presents sorted - it's exactly the sort of present they'd appreciate.

Delirium

+1 to Kiva.

Have been using it for a couple of years now and it's a great way to directly fund some businesses/co-ops etc. that need some help.

You can lend as little as $25 (USD) to pay into a loan. Haven't had one loan fail to be repaid, which is great as it can be re-used for another loan.

vard

Rather than looking for non religious charities, I'd recommend you seek out a charity which doesn't put your donation towards "administrative costs" like ceo's 200,000 salaries.

There are far too many businesses posing as charities where your donation barely trickles down to its intended source. However there are plenty of charities which operate on a volunteer basis. You probably won't have heard of them because they can't afford a million pound advertising campaign, but they're out there! Most have no religious connections in my experience too.

Kiwi_knock

Kiva sounds like a very interesting project, will certainly look to use it in the future. I like charities that spend money wisely on set projects, rather than just throwing money at a problem and hoping some of it will work.

I volunteer with SVP, in my college, and none of the work we do is religious in nature. Our college conference certainly do not help people based on their religious or lack of religious affiliation. I certainly would not be involved in or support a charity that sought to force beliefs on people. The majority of our members would also be atheist or agnostic, or if they were religious they were not all be Catholics. I got involved because I know it does good work and I knew that having no religion would certainly not impact upon my membership or the voluntary work I would be doing.

I do think that people should not disregard charities of a religious nature, because so many of them are doing so much valuable work both in Ireland and abroad. You only have to see the work that the Capuchins are doing this year, providing thousands of food parcels to people that are struggling to feed themselves and their families. I would hate to think that this service could be stopped because people would stop donating to religious based charities.

Through my involvement with a few charities (both religious and non-religious), I found the people to be warm-hearted and motivated (sometimes religious motivations) to help people regardless of their religious affiliation. So I would hope that people donate not based on whether a charity is religious or not, but would donate based on the care and service that the charity provides to people.

Hotblack Desiato

Riders for Health

Riders for Health manages over 1,400 motorcycles, ambulances and other four-wheel vehicles used in the delivery of health care in seven countries across Africa.

MrPudding

ninja900 wrote: »

Riders for Health

I know a couple of guys that have gone to Africa with this charity. Well worth supporting.

MrP

robindch

^^^ On the topic of bikers: apparently large numbers showed up from several states to protect mourners when the Phelps hate-crew announced they were going to show up to protest at some or all of the funerals of the victims of the Newtown massacre. On hearing that, Phelps and company, rather wisely, thought the better of turning up themselves:

http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2012/12/19/bikers-show-up-to-protect-mourners-from-westboro-baptist-protest

MrPudding

robindch wrote: »

^^^ On the topic of bikers: apparently large numbers showed up from several states to protect mourners when the Phelps hate-crew announced they were going to show up to protest at some or all of the funerals of the victims of the Newtown massacre. On hearing that, Phelps and company, rather wisely, thought the better of turning up themselves:

http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2012/12/19/bikers-show-up-to-protect-mourners-from-westboro-baptist-protest

Bikers are cool. And yes, that is a generalisation, but one I am happy to make... As a biker.

MrP

homemadecider

Concern are secular. Trocaire are not; they are the development branch of the Catholic church.

Hotblack Desiato

robindch wrote: »

^^^ On the topic of bikers: apparently large numbers showed up from several states to protect mourners when the Phelps hate-crew announced they were going to show up to protest at some or all of the funerals of the victims of the Newtown massacre. On hearing that, Phelps and company, rather wisely, thought the better of turning up themselves

Yeah that's an organised movement in the US, it started with veterans' funerals that those nutters were going to protest at.
The aim was not to prevent the nutter protest but to shield the family/mourners from them (if nothing else, block the view by standing in the way.)
Certainly not to intimidate them or to use violence.
Most of the bikers would be lawyers or accountants anyway :pac:

ShooterSF

homemadecider wrote: »

Concern are secular. Trocaire are not; they are the development branch of the Catholic church.

Concern could actively fight for civil liberties here and I still wouldn't give them a penny due to a mix of reportedly extraordinary salaries and unethical methods of fundraising.

Orion

Well I just made my first Kiva loan. Feelgood factor +1

I was having a look at the teams in it. Is it petty of me to find it funny that there are twice as many atheists/agnostics/freethinkers than christians in the top two groups

MrPudding

Orion wrote: »

Well I just made my first Kiva loan. Feelgood factor +1

I was having a look at the teams in it. Is it petty of me to find it funny that there are twice as many atheists/agnostics/freethinkers than christians in the top two groups

After reading your post I have just done mine. I am helping some bloke in Kosovo buy a cow.

MrP

strobe

ShooterSF wrote: »

Oh and for all year round Kiva.org where you can lend interest free loans from $25 up to start up businesses in the developing world which I think is a much better idea than continuous aid and also it's completely transparent as every penny you lend goes to the loanee with an optional extra donation to the organisation itself for upkeep.

Not to rain on people's parade regarding Kiva but while the loan can be interest free as far as you are concerned, the intermediary organisations who actually loan the money you donate with Kiva, do charge fairly high interest rates to the loanee, sometimes higher than the standard commercial rate. Also, the money you donate doesn't necessarily go to the loan you would like it too, and often goes into a fund which is dispersed across loans you may not be interested in supporting (a small business you do not find ethical, for example). Also several of the intermediary loan organisations have been accused of fraud and/or mismanagement of funds.

While I'm not suggesting any deliberate wrong doing on the part of Kiva, and think the basic idea is a good one, perhaps people would consider one of the alternatives, such as Zidisha, who allow actual unilateral loans where you can set your own interest rate as low as you like, and so cit out the middle man system with all the above problems.