Do you give to charity? Why? Why not?

[mattinvestor]

I do. Not to charities, but individual sick children. It is a lot of groups online with volunteers-people like us, who dedicate their time for free to help people. I know that my money are going to a child directly. I know it is a lot of con artist in charity groups, but I work with recognized one. I only wish I had more free money to help...

[revdev]

Yes, but normally always to support a friend who is doing an event (marathon, big walk etc), with proceeds to their chosen charity.
My only direct contribution is to Sea Shepherd, who do a fine job at winding up the Japanese.

[Moses Opondo]

Personally I never give to charity. Most of them are big multinational corporations so I'm not even sure where the money goes.

I think everyone including you gives to charity.Most of the time we give informally/not to organizations.That doesn't mean we are not charitable.Even when we give to needy friends or family members, i think that is charity.

[waterbaby]

I have a regular donation set up to Greenpeace, and I donate during collection drives for Women's Refuge, most mental health organisations, and the Breast Cancer Foundation. I give to the AIDS Foundation, anything targeted at preventing youth suicide, and anything targeted at helping gay youth. SPCA as and when I can, and Poppy Day annually. An annoying collector changes my mind - I won't support someone who isn't good at their job.

[BusyLizzy]

I'm surprised St John get away with calling themselves a charity. As far as I can tell they do nothing without getting paid

The thing with St John is that they are mostly run by volunteers, esp in rural communities. They may have one paid person and the rest are volunteers. Yet the need to run the ambulances, keep them stocked with supplies, provide regular training for employed staff and the volunteers, etc. A large percentage of their calls are ridiculous. A kid has an asthma attack, it's raining outside and the mother doesn't want to run to the doctor/pharmacy so what does she do? Call the ambo. Others call for minor cuts, sprains, breaks, etc, head colds, etc. Seriously! So, yes, they tried to recoup at some SOME of their expenses. Why shouldn't they?

Personally, I like to contribute $ to micro-financing organisations like Kiva. They help people out who couldn't otherwise get loans to grow their business, education or whatever. Rather than giving them a handout, they are given a loan. As the loans are repaid, I can relend to someone else - so it keeps my money revolving, I help out more people - and they are given a sense of pride and independence rather than creating an expectation of dependency or hopelessness.

I've also started helping a family that I befriended on a small island in Indonesia a few years ago. I see them helping themselves to improve their financial situation so I'm happy to help out in a small way in especially where the money is going to help educate the kids. I like the idea of helping someone directly and cutting out the middle man who siphon off a large percentage of what you give them.

I won't give to door collectors or street collectors as a rule. Don't trust them!

[mrsaneperson]

I donate to Oxfam & SST [Sensible Sentencing Trust].Unfortunately SST lost their tax free charitable status a few years ago ;they were upsetting too many of the deluded left in the "upper echelons" of our Justice system.
I also like to buy food for some of the 1000's of folks i see sleeping in the streets whenever i've visited 3rd World countries; as a contrast
if i see someone begging here on Queen St i walk past in disgust.

[muppet]

Yep.
Cancer Society

[revdev]

I also like to buy food for some of the 1000's of folks i see sleeping in the streets whenever i've visited 3rd World countries; as a contrast if i see someone begging here on Queen St i walk past in disgust.

Indeed. In India, I once saw a man with no legs and one arm "sweeping" the inside of a train, then asking for money. It sure puts things in perspective.