Giving to one charity - home or abroad?

NIMAN · 06-12-2011 10:09AM #1

There are so many adverts in the media these days looking for money and I was thinking of donating something for Xmas, I was wondering who to give to.

The choice is endless.

Should I give to an Irish or a 3rd world charity?
Should I help my own people or people on the other side of the world?
Would an Irish donation make more impact than trying to donate to the 3rd world problem?
Should I be asking these questions?

What would you do?

TanG411 · 06-12-2011 10:10AM

Keep the money.

/scrooge

Duggy747 · 06-12-2011 10:11AM

You could donate to the DuggyCorp Inc. Ltd. foundation?

Ellie2008 · 06-12-2011 10:17AM

Fistly that's v good of you, I would be inclined to say an Irish charity but also be mindful of overheads I refuse to give to a charity where the CEO is paid a massive salary, this crosses out a few - UNICEF, Concern. You can probs confirm just with a bit of googling or maybe someone here knows - the Peter McVerry trust is a good one can't imagine he s paying himself 250,000 a year.

smash · 06-12-2011 10:19AM

charity starts at home.

Wibbs · 06-12-2011 10:20AM

Local every time. Well for the last decade anyway. After watching the rinse and repeat cycle of third world aid over the last 30 years, I've got third world aid fatigue TBH.

Ellie2008 · 06-12-2011 10:22AM

Wibbs wrote: »

Local every time. Well for the last decade anyway. After watching the rinse and repeat cycle of third world aid over the last 30 years, I've got third world aid fatigue TBH.

I feel guilty thinking this with all the people being murdered in the Sudan etc but I agree.

starbelgrade · 06-12-2011 10:23AM

I only ever give to local causes such as sports clubs or to the likes of emergency aid for natural disasters.

There is no need for any other types of charity to exist - the fact that they do exist show that there is a fundamental flaw in how we look after those who need our help. For the most part, by supporting charities, we are relieving governments and ourselves of our social responsibilities by throwing the needy a few crumbs from our tables.

Charity to me, is a vile, condescending concept that does little to help in the long term, but only prolongs major social problems & makes beggars of those who need our help.

hondasam · 06-12-2011 10:26AM

Charity begins at home and we have lots of charities who need help. I would donate to a few charities.

Edit: same as star I would donate to local charities.

Ellie2008 · 06-12-2011 10:29AM

starbelgrade wrote: »

I only ever give to local causes such as sports clubs or to the likes of emergency aid for natural disasters.

There is no need for any other types of charity to exist - the fact that they do exist show that there is a fundamental flaw in how we look after those who need our help. For the most part, by supporting charities, we are relieving governments and ourselves of our social responsibilities by throwing the needy a few crumbs from our tables.

Charity to me, is a vile, condescending concept that does little to help in the long term, but only prolongs major social problems & makes beggars of those who need our help.

I'm not sure I understand what social responsibilities are you referring to? There is only so much an individual can control do do we just sit back and wait for social change and meanwhile people starve....

I don't give to sports clubs either, nothing wrong with sport of course but I fail to see why I should help pay for others to do it unless you re talking about little kids in a badly offer area, but full grown men playing football they can pay for it.

i71jskz5xu42pb · 06-12-2011 10:30AM

The Human Fund is a good choice

Orando Broom · 06-12-2011 10:34AM

Lions Clubs are very good too.

NIMAN · 06-12-2011 10:45AM

Thanks for all the feedback folks.

Think I will stay local. To be honest I asked the question because I do think my donation, although small, will make more of an impact at home than in the Third World. I too think I have a bit of fatigue of 3rd world problems. Money doesn't seem to be helping them at all, and their Gov's really need to tackle the problems themselves and stop begging. Less tanks and guns and more food I say.

At least if I drop money, food and toys into say the SvP I know that it will help people here for Xmas.

hondasam · 06-12-2011 10:54AM

NIMAN wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback folks.

Think I will stay local. To be honest I asked the question because I do think my donation, although small, will make more of an impact at home than in the Third World. I too think I have a bit of fatigue of 3rd world problems. Money doesn't seem to be helping them at all, and their Gov's really need to tackle the problems themselves and stop begging. Less tanks and guns and more food I say.

At least if I drop money, food and toys into say the SvP I know that it will help people here for Xmas.

I always donate to the food appeal and we do santa appeal at work and give it to a local charity. That way we know it goes to children who need it.

jack presley · 06-12-2011 10:58AM

Whichever charity you choose, try and find out how much of the donation goes to salaries and other overheads and how much actually goes to the cause

Ellie2008 · 06-12-2011 11:06AM

jack presley wrote: »

Whichever charity you choose, try and find out how much of the donation goes to salaries and other overheads and how much actually goes to the cause

I could rant about this all day, how is it morally right on any level that the head of these organisations in some cases is paid as much as 250,000, the argument that you have to pay for the best people only goes so far surely unless these people are miracle workers they are replacable.

Shenshen · 06-12-2011 11:08AM

A local Animal charity

biko · 06-12-2011 11:34AM

Local homeless shelter.

starbelgrade · 06-12-2011 11:41AM

Ellie2008 wrote: »

I'm not sure I understand what social responsibilities are you referring to?

We have a responsibility as a society to look after the poor, the sick & the needy.. basically anyone who is unable to help themselves. That would include the old, the sick & inferm, the homeless, children, people living in poverty, etc.

The fact that so many charities exist in all those areas show that we have failed in our responsibilities.

Ellie2008 wrote: »

There is only so much an individual can control do do we just sit back and wait for social change and meanwhile people starve....

People starve anyway & those who need do not always get what is required because charities only have limited amounts of funds & resources. It would take a great move in attitudes as to how we address the needs of society before any of this changes.

It's a sad reflection on ourselves that it would actually take a large amount of deaths for something like this to happen & for people and governments to own up to the fact that throwing a few quid in a box every now & again is simply not enough.

But people are mostly unwilling or unable to accept that charity is anything but a good thing, instead of what it really & truly is... a lazy & immoral response to our problems designed to make us feel a little less guilty for having more than our fair share.

Ellie2008 · 06-12-2011 11:45AM

starbelgrade wrote: »

Ellie2008 wrote: »

I'm not sure I understand what social responsibilities are you referring to?

We have a responsibility as a society to look after the poor, the sick & the needy.. basically anyone who is unable to help themselves. That would include the old, the sick & inferm, the homeless, children, people living in poverty, etc.

The fact that so many charities exist in all those areas show that we have failed in our responsibilities.

Ellie2008 wrote: »

There is only so much an individual can control do do we just sit back and wait for social change and meanwhile people starve....

People starve anyway & those who need do not always get what is required because charities only have limited amounts of funds & resources. It would take a great move in attitudes as to how we address the needs of society before any of this changes.

It's a sad reflection on ourselves that it would actually take a large amount of deaths for something like this to happen & for people and governments to own up to the fact that throwing a few quid in a box every now & again is simply not enough.

But people are mostly unwilling or unable to accept that charity is anything but a good thing, instead of what it really & truly is... a lazy & immoral response to our problems designed to make us feel a little less guilty for having more than our fair share.

Ok, I don't completely disagree with you, but what is the answer - i.e. How do we implement this society in a reasonable length of time?

K-9 · 06-12-2011 11:50AM

NIMAN wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback folks.

Think I will stay local. To be honest I asked the question because I do think my donation, although small, will make more of an impact at home than in the Third World. I too think I have a bit of fatigue of 3rd world problems. Money doesn't seem to be helping them at all, and their Gov's really need to tackle the problems themselves and stop begging. Less tanks and guns and more food I say.

At least if I drop money, food and toys into say the SvP I know that it will help people here for Xmas.

For all the waste, third world charities can obviously make a big difference when it saves lives.

I've even heard people giving out about SVdP and waste there, "undeserving" people getting it, so it's a very personal thing.

ISPCC or RSPCA for me.

gurramok · 06-12-2011 11:56AM

With the six figure salaries of the top staff at charities obscene, it does put off donating.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/kfgbidgbqlgb/rss2/

FinnLizzy · 06-12-2011 11:57AM

Pavee Point?

starbelgrade · 06-12-2011 11:59AM

Ellie2008 wrote: »

Ok, I don't completely disagree with you, but what is the answer - i.e. How do we implement this society in a reasonable length of time?

It would be quite easy to negate the need for charities by increasing taxes and spending them on the required social services.

jack presley · 06-12-2011 12:04PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

Ellie2008 wrote: »

Ok, I don't completely disagree with you, but what is the answer - i.e. How do we implement this society in a reasonable length of time?

It would be quite easy to negate the need for charities by increasing taxes and spending them on the required social services.

Yes, tax increases. There's plenty of scope for them!

doyle61 · 06-12-2011 12:07PM

Local hospice and council for the blind for me
Absolutely no way will I give to the likes of concern; large "admiresteration" costs = no money from me

Lady Chatterton · 06-12-2011 12:19PM

Local Hospice - "Light up a Memory"
Local Children's Charity
SVP - Toy Appeal
RNLI
Concern Christmas gifts

starbelgrade · 06-12-2011 12:22PM

jack presley wrote: »

Yes, tax increases. There's plenty of scope for them!

There's a lot more scope for increasing taxes than most people would have you believe.

If this were not the case, then how do you explain the multiple millions of euro that Irish based charities take in every year through donations?

Two of the biggest institutions in Ireland alone - the Catholic Church & the GAA - rake in vast sums of money each year between them. In 2009, the diocese of Dublin alone took in a whopping €90 million.

With figures like that, you have to wonder if at the very least, would a tax on charitable donations be not a more equitable method of sharing surplus wealth?

sardonic · 06-12-2011 12:25PM

Share, The Simon Community and Vincent de Paul are the only charities I support.

IrishZeus · 06-12-2011 12:43PM

I personally donate to ISPCC or Barnardos. I did the whole child sponsor thing for until I realised how little of my money made it that far.

So now I just stick to the local two. (Toy donations for SVP would be great also though)

Ellie2008 · 06-12-2011 01:24PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

jack presley wrote: »

Yes, tax increases. There's plenty of scope for them!

There's a lot more scope for increasing taxes than most people would have you believe.

If this were not the case, then how do you explain the multiple millions of euro that Irish based charities take in every year through donations?

Two of the biggest institutions in Ireland alone - the Catholic Church & the GAA - rake in vast sums of money each year between them. In 2009, the diocese of Dublin alone took in a whopping €90 million.

With figures like that, you have to wonder if at the very least, would a tax on charitable donations be not a more equitable method of sharing surplus wealth?

Because...if you tax people excessively you remove the incentive to work, particularly the lower paid. Also whilst unfortunately there are a huge amount of highly skilled people on the dole who would give anything to work, quite a high number of people who are long term unemployed do not want to work in low paid jobs and they shouldn't be rewarded for it.

Giving to one charity - home or abroad?

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