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Thread: Charities, foundations, beggars

  1. #1

    Default Charities, foundations, beggars

    Do you give money to charitable organisations, foundations, beggars or others who are in need?

    Would you like to?

    Regularly or sporadically?

    Are there any that you particularly favour? Why?
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  2. #2
    Senior Member Flixy's Avatar
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    I give sporadically, often culturally related, and I donate blood. Other than that sometimes on the street if I like the charity.
    Keep on keepin' the beat alive!

  3. #3
    I give locally and to the bell ringers. Absolutely refuse to give to the United Way because of how they have wormed their way into being the only donation option for giving in the workplace and how god damn pushy they can get because of it.

    When I was 18 I organized a christmas toy drive for the local children's home (orphanage). Conned WalMart into letting me set up in front of the store during most of November, including black friday. Brought in just shy of 20 grand worth of toys, electronics, and cash. I think thats going to be the highlight of my giving. so. much. work.
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  4. #4
    I do some local giving (and more local volunteering) and have occasionally made a donation to broader causes but it's sporadic, because my ability to give anything but time is also sporadic.
    Last night as I lay in bed, looking up at the stars, I thought, “Where the hell is my ceiling?"

  5. #5
    Let sleeping tigers lie Khendraja'aro's Avatar
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    I'm giving money to people who are selling special newspapers (i.e. they get it from the publisher at cost and the rest of the money is theirs - they're not allowed to set their own price, but I'm giving them more regardless). Whenever I see one of those I make it a point to buy the paper because I know that they make an effort to get out. However, I also don't see actual beggars very often. When I have the impression that they're "honest" beggars, then they get something too.

    Other than that I'm donating something to the European Otter Protection yearly.
    When the stars threw down their spears
    And watered heaven with their tears:
    Did he smile his work to see?
    Did he who made the lamb make thee?

  6. #6
    Sporadically give change to street bums, occasionally buy the Big Issue (same as the special newspapers Khen referred to), always text donations to the big disaster relief funds, such as the Philippines typhoon or the tsunami a year ago.

    Did Movember a few years ago raising a few hundred pounds for testicular cancer research.

    More rarely give to other charitable organisations I feel are deserving, such as Amnesty International or Médecins Sans Frontières‎. Donated once to Wikipedia too I seem to remember.

    Have never donated my time. Though I did once buy a case of beer and drunkenly spend the night through till dawn on the street with a homeless drunk with whom by the end of the night I'd agreed to go on an international tour with him singing as Elvis and me playing the keyboard. Even though I can't play the keyboard.

    I'll generally pick up hitchhikers too.

  7. #7
    I donate relatively small amounts (a few thousand a year?) to a variety of causes, mostly clustered in the local charities for the poor (food banks et al) and educational institutions. I'll also chip in for sponsoring people raising money for races, generally for cancer-related stuff, though I have serious doubts about the efficacy of most of these disease-related charities vs. NIH or corporate research (I don't care much for 'advocacy' groups either). I also give money to a few relatively apolitical organizations that are doing what I perceive to be politically important work - for example, I donate to improve Israeli water infrastructure, which IMO reduces the chances for regional conflagration.

    The list of things I don't give to is much longer, I'm afraid. I never give money to people on the street - I just have no way of properly evaluating their claims or needs, so I instead give to local organizations that I trust much more. I never give to disaster relief funds because I think that unnecessarily ties the hands (and budgets) or large, complex organizations like the ARC - if I give them money, it's not earmarked. I generally shy away from giving money to large development aid charities (e.g. Oxfam) because I think their approach to development/etc. is often counterproductive, and I often don't like their politics in some situations. I never give money to domestic political causes - lobby groups, political parties/candidates, etc. I avoid most environmental charities because I don't always buy into their priorities, and I find some conservation work to be silly (I also find their political arms, which I would also be funding, to be shrill and uncompromising).

    Since Flixy mentioned it (and I guess it counts?), I do give plasma/platelets through apheresis (my whole blood is useless). Used to do it nearly every fortnight, but with increased scheduling issues it's tapered off a bit. It's a big time commitment, but it's hard to say no to kids with leukemia et al. Don't do enough volunteering otherwise, though I do pitch in for various local charities and community organizations on occasion. Used to coach a local school's math league, but haven't in recent years. I also do a few other educational volunteering things, mostly in the STEM world for K-12 - believe it or not, I answer questions for a DOE lab's 'ask a scientist' service online.

  8. #8
    Stingy DM Veldan Rath's Avatar
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    We donate clothes 2-3 times a year, small donations to the local firefighters and police and schools.

    Can't give blood, FDA still thinks every gay man is an AIDS ridden piece of vermin, unless they are celibate for a year.
    Brevior saltare cum deformibus viris est vita

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Veldan Rath View Post
    Can't give blood, FDA still thinks every gay man is an AIDS ridden piece of vermin, unless they are celibate for a year.
    I can't do it because I was in Europe once, thirty years ago. The Red Cross isn't sure if socialism is communicable, but damned if they'll take the risk.

  10. #10
    I had that problem for a year after traveling in a malaria zone. Oh well.

  11. #11
    I randomly buy gas for people at my local station.
    Yes, I economic "profile" them.
    I started doing this years ago, when I was behind a couple paying for gas with a bunch of change.
    I do it because I like the idea of helping people with faces, in my (rather poor) neighborhood.
    That I might make a small difference to people where I live.

  12. #12
    You're an excellent person, Bitbit
    We're stuck in a bloody snowglobe.

  13. #13
    Spending some money anually to the local red cross.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
    I can't do it because I was in Europe once, thirty years ago. The Red Cross isn't sure if socialism is communicable, but damned if they'll take the risk.
    "Wer Visionen hat, sollte zum Arzt gehen." - Helmut Schmidt

  14. #14
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    I can't remember if I ever gave anything to anybody in Holland. But here in Istanbul I have a more open hand. I tend not to give money but would rather do things like buying someone a decent pair of shoes or a coat or other clothing. I am thinking about maybe reviewing my ppolicy of not giving to beggars. With the influx of Syrian refugees many of whom seem to be running out of money while being unable to find work the idea that an able bodied man has no business sending his wife and children out begging seems less tenable.
    Congratulations America

  15. #15
    Senior Member Flixy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wiggin View Post
    Since Flixy mentioned it (and I guess it counts?), I do give plasma/platelets through apheresis (my whole blood is useless). Used to do it nearly every fortnight, but with increased scheduling issues it's tapered off a bit. It's a big time commitment, but it's hard to say no to kids with leukemia et al. Don't do enough volunteering otherwise, though I do pitch in for various local charities and community organizations on occasion. Used to coach a local school's math league, but haven't in recent years. I also do a few other educational volunteering things, mostly in the STEM world for K-12 - believe it or not, I answer questions for a DOE lab's 'ask a scientist' service online.
    That takes forever doesn't it? They always get priority here for that reason. The local blood bank is open every day until 8pm, so it's not hard for me to find a convenient time, but my mum lives in a more rural place and it's harder there because you can only go on one or a few days. She also couldn't give because of malaria for a few years, by the way (but since she got really sick on the tropics that makes sense) but these days they can test for it, so now she can. Volunteering I've done is mostly for a local youth center, and occasionally at festivals. And played a bunch of charity shows with my band, but I doubt that raised more than a few hundred euros each time. Oh and in a short film we had some characters wear breast cancer awareness stuff, but that was also because a sponsor asked us to, and it fit the character well. Didn;t know there was an ask a scientist thing but
    Keep on keepin' the beat alive!

  16. #16
    Yeah, apheresis is normally about 2 hours, give or take a bit. Takes a while, but my blood is AB+, so my plasma/platelets are far more useful than my whole blood... also, platelets only last a few days in storage so they need to be continually topped up. I try to go when I get a chance (you can also donate more frequently, every 14 days), but it totally blows an evening so scheduling is always tight. Fortunately the main ARC facility here is just off a stop on my ride home so at least it's moderately convenient.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by wiggin View Post
    Since Flixy mentioned it (and I guess it counts?), I do give plasma/platelets through apheresis (my whole blood is useless). Used to do it nearly every fortnight, but with increased scheduling issues it's tapered off a bit. It's a big time commitment, but it's hard to say no to kids with leukemia et al. Don't do enough volunteering otherwise, though I do pitch in for various local charities and community organizations on occasion. Used to coach a local school's math league, but haven't in recent years. I also do a few other educational volunteering things, mostly in the STEM world for K-12 - believe it or not, I answer questions for a DOE lab's 'ask a scientist' service online.
    I'm AB-. Is this something that can be done at any old blood donor event?

    I mainly tithe to the GOP on an annualized basis, then give 1% of my income to a few non-profits and educational institutions that have helped me in the past. Beyond that, every month I budget a certain amount of cash withdrawals that I give to someone I see on the street who is in need. Either I buy a bagel and give it to them, or I give them an above-average amount of cash. I have mixed feelings about this approach, but I'm increasingly suspicious and dismayed at the intermixing of major nonprofits and the political class.

  18. #18
    Let sleeping tigers lie Khendraja'aro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadnaught View Post
    I'm AB-. Is this something that can be done at any old blood donor event?
    Naw, for apheresis you need pretty specialized equipment. Basically, they run your blood through a centrifuge to separate the plasma from the rest. The plasma then is stored, while the remainder will be mixed with some fluid (usually a sodium citrate solution) and retransferred to you. I.e. first they drain some blood to fill the centrifuge and in the next step, the flow is reversed. This cycle repeats for about two to four times, depending on your blood constituency, body weight and how much flow the IV provides, taking about 40 minutes to 1 hour.

    Over here, every town with a student population has such a facility because they're paying moderately well (20€ on average) and their targets need the money

    In contrast to normal blood donations, the blood loss is relatively minor which means that you're allowed to donate two times per week and up to 40 times per year. Though you still need to drink a lot nd you shouldn't do any heavy lifting afterwards (or even walk out immediately - I've seen several people not resting a bit afterwards and I was always tempted to yell: "Timber!" because they really fell like trees)

    Everyone has a different shade of orange-yellow to their plasma, by the way. Though it's also dependant on the hydration level and certain medications - if you're taking the pill, for example, your plasma will be more of an olive-oil hue.
    When the stars threw down their spears
    And watered heaven with their tears:
    Did he smile his work to see?
    Did he who made the lamb make thee?

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadnaught View Post
    I'm AB-. Is this something that can be done at any old blood donor event?
    Generally, no. I have been at some major blood drives that had apheresis equipment, but the equipment is bulky and expensive, so not particularly portable. There's normally a few donation centers in each city where you can go to set it up - just call your local ARC and see. I've found apheresis isn't too bad other than the time commitment - you generally can watch a movie (either one your bring or one of theirs), you don't feel as woozy afterwards (because you haven't lost many RBCs), and you can give more frequently (up to every 14 days). You will get a pretty hard sell from them to come back, though, since they're chronically short and platelets only last a few days.

    Quote Originally Posted by Khendraja'aro View Post
    Naw, for apheresis you need pretty specialized equipment. Basically, they run your blood through a centrifuge to separate the plasma from the rest. The plasma then is stored, while the remainder will be mixed with some fluid (usually a sodium citrate solution) and retransferred to you. I.e. first they drain some blood to fill the centrifuge and in the next step, the flow is reversed. This cycle repeats for about two to four times, depending on your blood constituency, body weight and how much flow the IV provides, taking about 40 minutes to 1 hour.
    Many of the machines I've used here work slightly differently; they have two lines, one for 'in' and one for 'out' - it works on a continuous loop, with the downside that both of your arms are stuck and immobile for the duration of the procedure.

    I (and many others) are also normally doubled, so it takes about 1.5-2 hours. I thank my lucky stars that no one wants my whole blood, because I always wince seeing the people giving a double RBC donation - that must be tough.

    Over here, every town with a student population has such a facility because they're paying moderately well (20€ on average) and their targets need the money
    Really? The ARC doesn't pay - I don't know if there are private for profits that pay, but I've never been directly compensated. Oh, they give you as many free T-shirts, hats, bags, etc. that you want, and you can eat your fill of cookies and OJ. They also do occasional incentive programs for frequent donors - $5 gift cards to Starbucks of the equivalent - but no set compensation.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Veldan Rath View Post
    We donate clothes 2-3 times a year, small donations to the local firefighters and police and schools.

    Can't give blood, FDA still thinks every gay man is an AIDS ridden piece of vermin, unless they are celibate for a year.
    Haven't they just announced a major change to that policy?

    I give regularly to charities and have donated time and done many sponsored events in the past. I'll give virtually every time I see a volunteer - ie if someone I know wants sponsorship or anyone collecting change in a bucket. Only time I won't is if I've already recently given or if I have no cash. Give every year to a tele fundraiser like Children In Need.

    I'll never under any circumstances give to beggars or "chuggers" charity muggers who go door to door or have a clipboard wanting donations. They're paid to harass. Also won't give following any TV adverts. Like the principle of Big Issue but seen it abused too often so no longer give to those guys.

    Never given blood. Had major issues getting blood out every single time I've had a test so it's become an issue for me. Wish I could.
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  21. #21
    Rand, I don't like it when people equate canvassers with beggars or charity muggers. That makes Girl/Boy Scouts selling cookies/popcorn door-to-door sound like harassers.

    <But you're right that blood donation criteria, based on sexual behavior, has been modified.>


    When it comes to charitable giving....over the years I've found that putting change into kettles or trays, or waiting for "events" just doesn't raise enough money for those asking/needing. It might make me feel good for doing good at the moment, but what they need are "sustainable donors", not random donors.

    It becomes a real commitment when I give them my bank account numbers, and agree to automatic monthly withdrawals. I do that for my car insurance and health insurance....so why shouldn't I do the same for charities?

    I used to be a "sustaining donor" for my church, the SPCA, the local food bank, Habitat for Humanity, National Public Radio, Boy Scouts of America, Komen for the Cure...all sorts of organizations. But now the only automatic payment I make is to the Southern Poverty Law Center. That's primarily because, but not solely due to, my son working for them as a canvasser.

  22. #22
    RB re: homosexual men and blood donation in the US. Until recently, it was having sexual contact with another man ONCE since 1977. Last week it was recommended to allow homosexuals to donate if they haven't had sexual contact in the last year. Not particularly helpful for most people but at least it makes more medical sense.

  23. #23
    Correction: the new guidelines distinguish between random/stranger sex, which could apply to anyone (including heterosexuals), and homosexual sex between monogamous partners. The fact is that ALL blood donations now have the screening technology that makes donor profiles less important, but only in nations with the best medical technology.

    I'm hoping Fuzzy recalls our debates just a few years ago....

  24. #24
    GGT, source? I've seen nothing indicating the FDA's new recommendations in any way say what you did.

  25. #25
    only in the sense that they treat gay sex in monogamous relationships as being far more dangerous than unprotected straight sex with a dozen strangers
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  26. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by GGT View Post
    Rand, I don't like it when people equate canvassers with beggars or charity muggers. That makes Girl/Boy Scouts selling cookies/popcorn door-to-door sound like harassers.
    I see Girl/Boy Scouts as harassers par excellence.

    Also, I can get paid for platelet donation? Hubba hubba.

    But I think we're missing the big question here: how much is the "right" amount to give assuming you are financially stable? Maybe expressed as a percentage of your income...

  27. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by wiggin View Post
    GGT, source? I've seen nothing indicating the FDA's new recommendations in any way say what you did.
    I didn't word that very well. The "lifetime ban" for gay men is history. There's still a list of risk behaviors that make people wait a year to donate....but they apply to heterosexuals too, not just gay men.

    There's still controversy in defining sexual behavior, and if "celibacy" can mean abstaining from anal intercourse, but still being sexually active or even promiscuous.

  28. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadnaught View Post
    But I think we're missing the big question here: how much is the "right" amount to give assuming you are financially stable? Maybe expressed as a percentage of your income...
    10% of income toward charity/philanthropy is the traditional amount, but I'm not sure that works these days....when so many people feel financially "stable" but have heavy debt obligations.

    When the mortgage/banking/financial crisis hit....many charitable organizations saw their donations (working capital) shrivel and die.

    I think the bigger question is: how much money, and for what purposes, should be left to charitable or philanthropic donations in the first place? IMO, it's pathetic that Veterans even need a bunch of non-profit charities (like Wounded Warriors, or Homeless Veterans) to take up the slack, and meet their needs.



    While I'm at it....it bugs me that public elementary schools have to raise funds for their libraries or science labs or lunch cafeteria with bake sales, magazine subscription sales, or "corporate coupons".

    I don't mind school sports being an extra-curricular activity, dependent on fan/booster sales. But I do mind that the NFL (for example) is considered a non-profit, tax-exempt private entity, when they recruit from said public schools.

    Last edited by GGT; 01-02-2015 at 08:08 AM.

  29. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadnaught View Post
    But I think we're missing the big question here: how much is the "right" amount to give assuming you are financially stable? Maybe expressed as a percentage of your income...
    I don't think it's a straightforward percentage. IMO people who are just doing 'ok' really have no obligation to give to charity - their first responsibility is to provide for themselves and their families. I would even go as far as to say that this includes the large majority of Americans - certainly if your household is making the median income, if you're raising a couple of kids you really should be using any extra money to save for college and retirement, not giving it to soup kitchens.

    Using the same logic, once your needs and those of your family are taken care of (including future financial security), should there really be an upper limit on charity? For someone worth $100 million, it really doesn't make sense for them to use any of their income for non-charitable purposes - with the exception of business owners whose wealth is tied up in a growing business and difficult to access. In such a world, you really only have a fairly narrow slice of the American public who need to worry about this question - those who are relatively comfortable but not truly wealthy. At most a quintile, probably much less.

    On the other hand, I really don't fall into the 'wealthy' or even 'comfortable' category (yet), but I still give a modest proportion of my income directly to charity (rather than indirectly through the sizable portion of my taxes that go to various social programs). What gives? I think that the reason you get substantial giving among the less well-off (as a proportion of income) - and why I think it's a good idea - is because there's more to charity than numbers and disposable income. I think the American philanthropic culture is absolutely fantastic because it creates a sense of community, of civil society being an important endeavor we are all engaged in together. People who are in the habit of giving/volunteering/etc. for their community (whether it's a local, national, or international concern) have a shared 'commons' that they have a stake in, much more so than how we feel about our taxes. This culture of giving means that, first, when a small proportion of us become truly wealthy we have a norm to follow, and second, the rest of us can have some form of participation and agency in strengthening civil society.

    (Parenthetically, I have noted that this culture does not extend everywhere in the Western world. Certainly looking around Israel I've noticed that most institutions and non-profits are funded generously and named - mostly after Americans, and the occasional Brit. They're paid for by charity either from ex-pats or people still living in the US who think, say, a university building is a worthy cause. Israeli billionaires (and multi-millionaires) do not, as a rule, give significant chunks of their wealth to charity. The notable exceptions generally prove the rule, and I think it's a symptom of a larger problem. One can provide all sorts of suggestions for why this might be the case - and certainly Israel has a fairly strong and vibrant civil society and tradition of volunteerism - but philanthropy is not the default there, and I think it's unfortunate.)

    So, in sum, you could distill my philosophy of charity down to: everyone should be in the habit of giving their time or money, but it should be on a sliding scale of magnitude.

  30. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by wiggin View Post


    (Parenthetically, I have noted that this culture does not extend everywhere in the Western world. Certainly looking around Israel I've noticed that most institutions and non-profits are funded generously and named - mostly after Americans, and the occasional Brit. They're paid for by charity either from ex-pats or people still living in the US who think, say, a university building is a worthy cause.

    Israeli billionaires (and multi-millionaires) do not, as a rule, give significant chunks of their wealth to charity.
    Why don't they?


    The notable exceptions generally prove the rule, and I think it's a symptom of a larger problem. One can provide all sorts of suggestions for why this might be the case - and certainly Israel has a fairly strong and vibrant civil society and tradition of volunteerism - but philanthropy is not the default there, and I think it's unfortunate.)

    So, in sum, you could distill my philosophy of charity down to: everyone should be in the habit of giving their time or money, but it should be on a sliding scale of magnitude.
    But it should also be noted that "charity" includes special trade agreements, which are political in nature. Right? Could Israel be the society it is without support from the US?

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