Charitable Giving

[sass_in_the_pants]

I read an article yesterday about charitable giving and it got me thinking...

Why do you donate to charity? What compels you to do it? And, why that particular charity?

And I'm talking about any donations - blood to the Red Cross, money to DGN, whatever.

I've got my reasons, but I'm curious as to why others do what they do.

For me, there are alot of reasons.

Monetarily, I donate to my church. I like my church. I think they do good things. I would like to see them still around in twenty years, so I support them however I can. Most of my volunteering I do through them, too. I could volunteer through other organizations just as well I suppose, but I just feel like when I go with the church folk to do the volunteer work that I'm actually WORKING, whereas in my experience with alot of other organizations, they just aren't, well, organized. And I HATE that. I'll give up my Saturday morning to get work done. I won't give it up to stand around and look vacant.

I buy Toys for Tots at Christmas, because I like buying toys and I like Marines even more. Yowsa. That's got to be my all-time favorite charity. Let's see, I get to buy cute kids stuff, and then watch the big strong men in uniform carry them all away. THAT, people is what Christmas is all about - shopping and hot men in uniform.

And I just LOVE it when the kids come knocking at my door for cans and bottles for whatever little school group they're in. My lazy ass never gets them back to the store, so they just pile up in my basement. We're especially bad after parties. Last weekend a girl came by for the majorettes at one of the nearby schools. She had a wagon behind her. I told her she was going to need a bigger wagon, like a truck. You would have thought I told her she was getting a pony. But I don't really count that as charity because I'm just as happy to unload the stuff.

Until recently, I gave blood to the Red Cross, because I'm healthy, it's easy and it takes me fifteen minutes. Shoot, save three lives in fifteen minutes? Not bad for a day's work, right?

Okay, so what's your story? I'm really interested in your motivation behind it, too.

[honeymustard02]

I give whenever I can. I feel guilty walking by those people around the holidays that do the Salvation Army things with the buckets and bells.

I just know that I do have a lot and there are people who don't have anything. You always have room to give something, even if its pocket change.

Also there's the part of being able to say you do it even though you won't actually say it.

I donate clothes a lot too. What's the point of it sitting in my closet when someone else would enjoy it?

It's just nice and makes me feel better that I do give back and I am helping in some way.

[Msterbeau]

I usually donate stuff to my church, or Salvation Army every year. At church I give a little too, especially because the "pass the plate" offering goes to specific causes and organizations in the Detroit area. I wish I had more to give.

[Destroit]

I can has massivz luvinz fur muh kittuhs like dees one.

So I give to the humane society. Pretty much the only charity. I don't do it because it makes me feel better, trust me it sucks giving my monies away, but people are so disgusting when it comes to animals. I do it because I realize that WE domesticated pets to live with us, and now we should step up to take responsiblity and make sure they are all cared for. Some stupid ignorant trash just breed them or buy them and throw them outside after awhile, as if you had a kid let them live to be five and said "here's a bag lunch, you gotta go live outside now because, well, you're just not as cute as you used to be." It's sick, people make me wanna spit sometimes (hense I don't give to any people charities lol, we SHOULD be cognitive enough to care for ourselves). Well I dunno, soup kitchen kinda stuff is good too, 'cause people do fall on hard times and it's not always in their control. So yeah, I stand corrected, from myself, 'cause yeah I guess some people deserve money. I went to volunteer even, but they had a long list, and it's something I'd do in the summer. You know, like they'd send me to the center in Shelby Twp and I'd get to walk tha dawgs and hassle tha kittays. Hopefully I can get in next summer. If I had extra monies, I may disburse it to disease charities, like cancer and AIDS kinda stuff. But the starving kids in other countries, it's their parents fault, and I'm not forking over money because they can't stop fucking each other and plopping out litters, even when they know they're just going to starve to death. So I think in that case I'll let natural selection run it's course.

[Guest Megalicious]

I donate to the Salvation Army at least twice a year. But about 6 months ago I happen to watch the Hotel Rowanda movie. I cried for like 7 hours feeling horrible and just ashamed to be American.

As I was going to bed I turned on the BBC as I usally do when trying to get some sleep and heard this horrible story on Darfur and I realized it was pretty much the same thing. Mass Genicide. I had a small savings acount that I had opened just to try and save a little of my own money when I was working PT. I pretty much gave everything in it .. just a litttle over 2,000 to the red cross. I had to, I know it was the right thing to do.

It was alot of money, but I didnt really need it. I mean we are not rich by any means but we don't stuggle either and it was my money. Seperate from mothly expenses, Keegies college fund and the sweetens checking and savings. It felt really good, and giving it to the red cross I know it went to a good place.

[ManicQueen]

When I have clothes that I don't want or when my kids out grow their clothes, I usually donate to Purple Heart a few times a year.

I also donate to local Fire Departments when I see them playing in traffic, raising money for whatever.

[Scary Guy]

I give what I get, which is usually nothing. It's already done for me in taxes anyhow.

[Homicidalheathen]

I have a sponsor child in a 3rd world country... I give to Detroit Rescue mission ministries and Equality now. Other than that just a little here and there if I find something else I think is a good cause.

[Destroit]

When I have clothes that I don't want or when my kids out grow their clothes, I usually donate to Purple Heart a few times a year.

I also donate to local Fire Departments when I see them playing in traffic, raising money for whatever.

Ooooh yeah, I guess I do give to some people charities. If I have a dollar or change and I see the White Cane society, Knights of Columbus, Goodfellows (I think that's what it's called) out in traffic I always give them something. Same with the red buckets from the Salvation Army at Christmas time, I always drop them some change or what I have. Yeah and Meg, you had a good one too, I forgot about the conflict in Darfur and the wrongful genocide that's been taking place, it's just plain fucking outright sick. A travesty to mankind altogether, really, although it does seem to happen a whole lot in many different culture conflicts. Mad props for being unselfish and giving them that whopping about of money.

[know_buddy_kares]

When i was able to afford it, i made sure any charity i did give went to helping americans in need. I find it rediculous that there's so many american organizations that specificly help other continents instead of their own country. No I do not care about the starving pigmy's in Nigeria or wherever when there's starving people here in the states. Help our own out before help others out is something I prefer to adhere to.

[Fierce Critter]

I generally don't give because our budget is too tight.

But I try to give through action sometimes.

I used to do hospice volunteer work. I'd like to do that again sometime.

Frankly, both Jon and I have a misanthropic streak, and don't care about human-based charities much. We lean toward charities that benefit animals. Though our donations to those usually consist of putting pocket change in collection cans on store counters. Oh, and adopting something like 16 homeless cats over the years.

I started making knitted caps a couple years ago, and intended to give them to the Capuchin soup kitchen in Detroit to distribute to the homeless or needy. They're all still sitting in a closet. I still intend to donate them, however. But it's not all selfless. I just wanted something to do with my hands while watching TV at night. I don't want to sell them, and just needed a reason to keep making them.

When I have things I don't need around the house and don't want to have or save them for a yard sale, I give them away on Freecycle groups.

I believe in social programs like welfare (when properly controlled & effected), but I don't expect charity and don't feel a strong need to give to any.

[Sybil]

I usually donate stuff to my church, or Salvation Army every year. At church I give a little too, especially because the "pass the plate" offering goes to specific causes and organizations in the Detroit area. I wish I had more to give.

you choked me up.. that is very sweet..

Its great when you know the money is going to help someone close by..

[mallochai]

We don't donate a lot, but we do a lot of little things, so I guess they add up.

I donate to DGN because even though I don't post much, I've been on the board a long goddamn time, and even though I don't even live in the same state, haven't for years, I enjoy the board and the people on it, most of the time.

I donate to the humane society. Every time we go to the pet store, I donate a dollar at the cash register. We go to the pet store AT LEAST once a week - our dog is very spoiled.

Every six months, and this is a new thing since moving to oregon from alaska where there was no bottle deposit, we save up all our deposit moneys, and send them to a different charity. That's the plan, at any rate. So far, we have one month to go, and we've got about forty dollars. Not too shabby. Again, it's not much, but every little bit counts.

I donate quite a bit to the salvation army and value village.

Scott and I usually try to donate to some kind of "orphaned children" charity every year, just because. It's usually around fifty to a hundred bucks, depending on what we've got available.

So yes, no large donations, but a lot of little things.

[Msterbeau]

you choked me up.. that is very sweet..

Its great when you know the money is going to help someone close by..

:blush:

[saechalyn]

I work at Planned Parenthood and I donate through payroll deduction. I give because I really believe in what we do. It would be a dreadful thing to not be able to afford contraception.

[mallochai]

It would be a dreadful thing to not be able to afford contraception.

If that isn't a true statement, I don't know what is!

[Absinthe]

I am involved mainly with charities that hold a personal interest for me. For instance I am involved on many levels with a charity that helps women find a place to stay that are leaving abusive situations. I also used to work for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in TN so I still try and donate. I also was also involved with a charity that helped to provide counsel to young Native American children who have been abandoned due to drug addicted and/ or alcohol addicted parents. I also provide money to help ship Bibles to American Soldiers. Unfortunately, due to my current employment situation I have had to put a halt on my charitable giving for now...which reminds me...if anyone would like to donate to me.....

[Steven]

you just sort of do what you do as it comes to you, as you feel compelled if thats part of yrou lifestyle.

I used to carry boxed and canned food and water in my car trunck when I worked nites in LA and Hollywood. I'd see homeless people everyday. Some of them are assholes, but some fo them are good people, I let God sort all that out and give what I got.

we also sponsor a 3rd world child thru world vision.

I've worked inan orphanage in Mexico before - it was very eye opening, right across the way from beautiful and rich San Diego was a whole other universe of desperation.

We give monthly to the church because my church supports ALOT of people in many ways to include financially and with food and clothing. I also give because I beleive in its leadership and want it to thrive and remain healthy.

and I gave a kidney once because she was going to die. it was a pretty easy decision, death, life, death, life.

by the way some of you here in DGN (you know who you are) helped me give a recently widowed lady with kids a Christmas, that was pretty damn cool.

[Homicidalheathen]

you just sort of do what you do as it comes to you, as you feel compelled if thats part of yrou lifestyle.

I used to carry boxed and canned food and water in my car trunck when I worked nites in LA and Hollywood. I'd see homeless people everyday. Some of them are assholes, but some fo them are good people, I let God sort all that out and give what I got.

we also sponsor a 3rd world child thru world vision.

I've worked inan orphanage in Mexico before - it was very eye opening, right across the way from beautiful and rich San Diego was a whole other universe of desperation.

We give monthly to the church because my church supports ALOT of people in many ways to include financially and with food and clothing. I also give because I beleive in its leadership and want it to thrive and remain healthy.

and I gave a kidney once because she was going to die. it was a pretty easy decision, death, life, death, life.

by the way some of you here in DGN (you know who you are) helped me give a recently widowed lady with kids a Christmas, that was pretty damn cool.

[Shade Everdark]

I don't.

[Steven]

xo