Do you give money to charity?

Minderbinder

Personally I don't. I know there's a lot of poor people in the world but I earn my money, I pay all my bills and taxes and I'm not interested in dishing out money for any other cause.

Sometimes family or friends run around to collect money and ask me to sponsor them but I have decided not to do that anymore. I do feel guilty but the guilt is more a social etiquette thing rather than feeling guilty about not helping a cause.

I was just reading the thread about India and hearing about Irish people sending their hard earned money to far off places in the hope some poor people will be better off.

If we're paying such high taxes I think we're a bunch of idiots if we're also taking responsibility to give money to poor people in Ireland. You often have fundraisers for hospitals which I find unbelievable as surely that's what our taxes are for.

darkpagandeath

No, I have no interest in feeding management and CEO's lavish lifestyles.

eviltwin

I don't give money but I do volunteer with a charity and donate goods to charity shops, do the odd charity run etc. I work in the NGO sector and seeing the waste that occurs I'd never donate money to them again.

The_Valeyard

Yeah I do. I give to three charities each month. I'm lucky I'm in a position to do do. Lot of people out there are struggling, regardless of what the government spin machine says.

maudgonner

I do, but I'm very careful about who I give to. Charity is an industry in many (maybe most) cases, and you have to do your research to know where the money goes.

Nekarsulm

No I don't, for two reasons.
1, We saw the true face of the "Charity Industry" with the revelations at Rehab and the Central Remedial Clinic and
2, In my local County town there are frequent collections for a wide variety of "causes". Lung cancer, drug abuse, various genetic conditions, etc.
The collector's are ALWAYS lads in their early twenties with puffa jackets or football tops, a baseball cap worn on the back of their head and jog pants tucked into white socks. A more unprofessional image is hard to imagine, and the fact that these people are deposited and picked up by people carried and brought back up the N3 leads me to believe that they are operating a scam.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

"Charity" covers a wide sweep but yes I do. Some by DD, others regular cash or ad hoc contributions.

shamrock2004

I'll throw a euro in the poor box now and again, but that's it. Ever since the revelation of the bloated salaries of charity CEOs I have lost all faith.

Azalea

Yes I do - to a homeless charity and to a cause helping impoverished people in the third world. I have been extremely fortunate in life, and much of this is merely to do with an accident of birth. Twist of fate and I could have been born into poverty. I don't feel guilty for being fortunate but I do feel hugely appreciative and lucky.

People read into it way too much - "You work hard and pay your taxes, you're an idiot if you donate to charity". Reminds me of Ebeneezer Scrooge's reasonings.
The CEOs getting loads of money? Meh, I wouldn't punish the genuinely needy because of that.

I know it won't make a huge difference to give to charity, but a little is better than nothing. If other people don't want to give to charity, that's fine - it is entirely a choice-based gesture, but let others make the choice to do so without belittling them via spurious reasoning.

All charities can't be judged by the standards of the worst run ones.

Last year I worked 143 billable hours for three charities in a professional capacity, pro bono. I also donate to other charities that I know do sterling work.

Roanmore

Yeah,

ISPCC and ISPCA

intheclouds

I used to give a monthly contribution to a well known animal charity but after a number of negative experiences with them and some friends who had volunteered with them saying that the higher management had very very nice cars etc, I stopped and switched to a different animal charity.

After a year I decided to switch again and now support a very small volunteer run animal charity that is barely known at all. I also occasionally meet up with someone from it and pass on pet toys, beds, food etc that mine have no use for.

I also occasionally make monetary donations to specific causes and I always pass on good condition used clothing, household items and furniture to local charity shops.

Minderbinder

darkpagandeath wrote: »

No, I have no interest in feeding management and CEO's lavish lifestyles.

Yeah I understand that may have changed the practices of a lot of people, but even before that came to light I never understood why people spend their money on strangers instead of their own family.

Is it a peace of mind thing? A religious thing? Social pressure? The effects of marketing? Personal experience of a worthy cause?

darkpagandeath

Candie wrote: »

All charities can't be judged by the standards of the worst run ones.

Last year I worked 143 billable hours for three charities in a professional capacity, pro bono. I also donate to other charities that I know do sterling work.

It's an Industry in Ireland proven. Why are there so many, disproportionate amount here. Any fool can stick a Charity Id on a card. Checked the one collecting in my local shop it's not a real number or charity.

goz83

Fool me once

I worked for a well known charity and was told that 87% was guaranteed to reach the people who needed it. I did some sums, based on figures available to me and figured that nowhere near 87% could possibly be going to where it needed to go. Unless you count top management and their big houses and fancy cars.

Fool me twice

As already mentioned, the REHAB revelations put me right off. I had been donating monthly to them from my business for about 2 years. I was appalled and cancelled my DD and haven't donated to charity since.

Fool me thrice

Not a feckin chance :mad:

lazybones32

Yeah, I donate but only to a select few...ones where the majority actually goes to the cause.

You don't need to explain or justify what you do with your own money - it's yours. If you earn it, you earn the right to dispose of it however you want.

satguy

I don't give anymore, I get annoyed when I see Charity Bosses on €145K,, In fact any Charity boss on more than 80K should be looked into.

mynameis905

I have very little faith in charities so I don't bother. I do occasionally donate food and clothing to the SVP though.

Used to work somewhere where the head of the sports and social committee donated hundreds of the S&S funds to her own pet charity and stuck up the letters she got back from them praising her for the generous donations. Drove me up the walls.

Minderbinder

Azalea wrote: »

People read into it way too much - "You work hard and pay your taxes, you're an idiot if you donate to charity". Reminds me of Ebeneezer Scrooge's reasonings.
The CEOs getting loads of money? Meh, I wouldn't punish the genuinely needy because of that.

I'm not saying it's idiotic to donate money in all cases. We do pay ridiculously high taxes in this country and so I said I'd feel like an idiot if I donated to Irish hospitals or homeless charities as it probably helps to maintain the status quo and gives the government some breathing space.

If you give money away then it is truly idiotic if you don't know where it's going.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

darkpagandeath wrote: »

It's an Industry in Ireland proven. Why are there so many, disproportionate amount here. Any fool can stick a Charity Id on a card. Checked the one collecting in my local shop it's not a real number or charity.

What do you base that assertion on. As a comparison in Norway there are 16 charities for every 1,000 people; in Scotland there are 4.3; in Wales there are 3; and in Ireland there are 1.8.

The last time I checked there were something like 24,000 charities in Ireland. 166,000 in Britain.

_Kaiser_

No I don't.. aside from the proven reality that most of the donation doesn't actually reach the intended recipient, our Government already gives millions of our taxes to foreign aid - even at a time when we have increasing homelessness and a massive (now public) debt that we're borrowing still more millions (and paying interest on those loans) to service as well as keep the lights on here.

Charity begins at home. Sort out our own (numerous) issues and inequalities before we try to save the world!

_Kaiser_

No I don't.. aside from the proven reality that most of the donation doesn't actually reach the intended recipient, our Government already gives millions of our taxes to foreign aid - even at a time when we have increasing homelessness and a massive (now public) debt that we're borrowing still more millions (and paying interest on those loans) to service as well as keep the lights on here.

Charity begins at home. Sort out our own (numerous) issues and inequalities before we try to save the world!

Nekarsulm

I do, I confess, have a low level addiction to charity shops, however.
Most books I read I buy there, also sweatshirts and T shirts etc for work.
I'm a farmer and axle grease or cow ****e looks the same on a 5 Euro sweatshirt as it does on a 35 Euro one. Books I know I won't read again, I leave into the V de P.

freshpopcorn

I'd support local charities and organisations/schools.
Don't like those charities when you see people going around with clip boards looking for your bank details.
My father generally gives a bit of money to a homeless charity every year and there always sending out letters. In one of the last letters he received there was a sticky note in it and it said Please remember us in your will. I heard of a good few people who'd been loyal to this charity was turned off them because of this and there other demands for money.

Azalea

A lot of this is just "Managers get paid well so screw the needy" - makes no sense.

Atlantic Dawn

With the recent revelations from the Irish Cancer Society a charity which I regularly sponsored friends and took part in a few events myself I was shocked when I heard that they spent more than 1 in 3 of each euro they got in on salaries and then on top of that there was the actual fund raising events themselves which take again from the money actually going to those that need it. I was thinking next time if I raise cash for cancer to just go in to a cancer ward or hospice and hand it to those who need it in cold hard cash, cut out the middleman which has become an industry in itself.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0112/759483-cancer-financial-support/

darkpagandeath

Ryker Famous Livestock wrote: »

What do you base that assertion on. As a comparison in Norway there are 16 charities for every 1,000 people; in Scotland there are 4.3; in Wales there are 3; and in Ireland there are 1.8.

The last time I checked there were something like 24,000 charities in Ireland. 166,000 in Britain.

Link ? There is a different charity for every 190 people in Ireland.

darkpagandeath

Azalea wrote: »

A lot of this is just "Managers get paid well so screw the needy" - makes no sense.

Yes the managers and alike of the charity getting a very nice wages does say "Screw the Needy."

corner of hells

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I'd support local charities and organisations/schools.
Don't like those charities when you see people going around with clip boards looking for your bank details.
My father generally gives a bit of money to a homeless charity every year and there always sending out letters. In one of the last letters he received there was a sticky note in it and it said Please remember us in your will. I heard of a good few people who'd been loyal to this charity was turned off them because of this and there other demands for money.

Individuals are actually becoming surprisingly receptive to the will or legacy aspect of donating to charities, I'm pretty sure a few years a large farm was donated to a charity with it being converted into a treatment centre .

I know quite a few other charities have been left houses and use them as both aftercare homes or in some cases they become the property of housing associations.

maudgonner

Azalea wrote: »

A lot of this is just "Managers get paid well so screw the needy" - makes no sense.

In fairness, I don't think most people are thinking "screw the needy", they just don't want their donations going to pay the salaries of charity management. The fact that the needy are getting screwed is a horrible side-effect.

To be honest I'm surprised that donation levels have stayed as high as they are, given the ongoing revelations and the stunning lack of remorse or guilt displayed by charities.

corner of hells

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Yes the managers and alike of the charity getting a very nice wages does say "Screw the Needy."

Give us a link to the salaries of "managers and alike " of a couple of charities, not CEOs .

MilesMorales1

SVP every month. I'm as cynical about the charity industry as anyone, but the SVP do great work and I'm perfectly happy to give them a little bit every month. Gonna try and do more.

darkpagandeath

corner of hells wrote: »

Give us a link to the salaries of "managers and alike " of a couple of charities, not CEOs .

http://www.fundraisingireland.ie/whats-new/current-news/salary-survey-results-2012/

freshpopcorn

corner of hells wrote: »

Individuals are actually becoming surprisingly receptive to the will or legacy aspect of donating to charities, I'm pretty sure a few years a large farm was donated to a charity with it being converted into a treatment centre .

I know quite a few other charities have been left houses and use them as both aftercare homes or in some cases they become the property of housing associations.

I just heard of a lot of people who weren't impressed with it and we're turned off donating to the charity because of it.

Comhrá

I used to make a monthly donation by direct debit to one of the big Irish charities until the Rehab revelations a few years ago opened my eyes.

I cancelled that one and changed my bank d/d to SVDP as I believe they are more likely to use a larger proportion of any donations for the needy causes.

The other crowd I cancelled my payments to, were on the phone to me pretty quickly asking me to reconsider my cancellation and I politely explained that I had helped them for several years and wanted to give someone else a turn.

Their phone call was followed up by two letters a few months apart, again asking me to reconsider, followed by another phone-call about a year later.

I again explained my reason and they accepted that - then asked if I'd consider making them a once-off donation towards some exciting new building project in Africa!!

They have some neck! I asked them to take my phone number and address off their data base and haven't heard from them since.

eeguy

I give clothes and stuff to the SVP.

I walk through Dublin centre every morning and the amout of homeless and beggars is unbelievable.

I gave the Simon Community €50 at Christmas. I know it's nothing in the grand scheme of things, but I'd never give money directly to a beggar so it's the least I could do.

corner of hells

darkpagandeath wrote: »

http://www.fundraisingireland.ie/whats-new/current-news/salary-survey-results-2012/

Survey appears to be based on data from 2011 , a little dated ?

Theres certainly a comment about an average of 64 thousand ,,hardly excessive for a manager.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I donate to two rescue charities, and will support the cancer charity on daffodil day but that's the extent of it.

Turned off the likes of st Vincent de Paul, handing out money to help people pay their court fines and handing food hampers out to those not in need.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I used to donate to concern but cancelled it after being harassed every morning on my way to work by their minions jumping out in front of me with a new sob story asking me to up my donation

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Link ? There is a different charity for every 190 people in Ireland.

Link??? Link???
Look it up yourself. The figures are readily available. Do you ignore points made without links yet claim we have a disproportionate amount of charities without any figures to support it? Impressive.

The stats I gave are correct. Have a look for them by searching something like "are there too many charities" , I'm sure you can manage that.
Then show where the numbers here are disproportionate in any way other than less per capita than most countries.

Fleawuss

My last dd has just ended. I give to emergency appeals for disasters and a few times each year I send a bit to the RNLI.

caille

Yes, I have a direct debit with an animal charity. I gave a biggish one off donation to a very well known animal charity last year, with the intention of setting up a DD this year. However, the number of phone calls I got afterwards (on a Sunday, in work) was unbelievable and I had to make a very sharp phone call back to stop them. Needless to say, I wouldn't set up the DD after that and it has made me very suspicious of them now.

The charity I ended up supporting is not well known but through word of mouth, I heard about the great work they are doing and am delighted now to be doing a small bit to help.

corner of hells

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I donate to two rescue charities, and will support the cancer charity on daffodil day but that's the extent of it.

Turned off the likes of st Vincent de Paul, handing out money to help people pay their court fines and handing food hampers out to those not in need.

I don't know about SVdP handing out money or hampers to people that don't need them , but I occasionally work with some of their project workers and before they give out money they give a brief assessment based on a meeting with the individual looking for help.

Ive only ever seen one individual manage to fool them everyone else Ive seen genuinely needed help.

markc1184

I used to give what I could, when I could. I don't anymore, because I don't trust where/who is getting the money.

darkpagandeath

Ryker Famous Livestock wrote: »

Link??? Link???
Look it up yourself. The figures are readily available. Do you ignore points made without links yet claim we have a disproportionate amount of charities without any figures to support it? Impressive.

The stats I gave are correct. Have a look for them by searching something like "are there too many charities" , I'm sure you can manage that.
Then show where the numbers here are disproportionate in any way other than less per capita than most countries.

I stated an opinion, You presented data implying fact with no link. Simples

intheclouds

Actually Vincent de Paul used give my father an envelope each week which he immediately spent in the off licence. It would have been obvious to them he was an alcoholic. Perhaps they felt if they gave the money he might eat with whatever other money he had. I don't know.

2011

For over a year I have been donating €28 per month by standing order to UNICEF.

darkpagandeath

darkpagandeath wrote: »

I stated an opinion

darkpagandeath wrote: »

It's an Industry in Ireland proven

Saying something is 'proven', without any qualifying specifics, is not voicing an opinion.

It's claiming a fact.

darkpagandeath

Candie wrote: »

Saying something is 'proven', without any qualifying specifics, is not voicing an opinion.

It's claiming a fact.

What part of It's a proven industry in Ireland is incorrect ?

Whosthis

Time but never money.

Dubl07

I give on an ad hoc basis to a few small Irish charities, Capuchin Day Centre, the SVP, Medecins sans Frontières and some disaster relief funds. I'm very disillusioned with charities whose advertising & marketing budgets rival those of a small country. I have totally ceased to pad their coffers and the wallets of their senior management. I also refuse to give to any charity that phones up soliciting funds after a donation or two and I had to speak very bluntly to one hospital who were hounding an elderly family member in the run-up to Christmas.

~~
ETA:

Little things can help - I try to spend 'hold' time on FreeRice rather than drum my fingers or play solitaire.